On a Distant Shore
by monsterme
Summary: He moved for his family. She moved to keep her sanity intact. He was cheeky while she was down right clever. A tale of two people finding themselves on a distant shore.
1. Chapter 1

**Story Specs:**

Wood x Granger

Teen rating (for now)

Post Hogwarts, Post War.

Not Canon

* * *

Chapter 1:

His mother had told him that he should get out of England before the war broke out publicly. He did eventually, and he had to take his sister along with him. Living in Canada seemed like a good idea. They did have relatives there but no quidditch. He left his career for better prospects for him and his sister. He had to move her away from all that death.

But that had been years before. It already had been 3 years since the war ended and he and his sister had already settled into their new lives. Taking odd jobs at first, he tried to make sure his sister was properly embedded into their new home, new city, new life. From muggle work such as serving foods at the local grocery store, office work for a window company, to finally working for the ministry of magic of North America as an assistant to the head of education. That had been almost 3 years ago and now he found himself, older, and been enrolled into a muggle college and un-splendidly single oddly enough.

"Ollie! I can't find my kilt!" Oliver rolled over and looked at the alarm clock by his bed. This was too early even for Rachel, to be scuttling around their home. He tried to close his eyes and tried to forget that it was only 7:15 in the morning and that he had to stay up late the night before because he had to finish last minute paperwork for his boss, Connor Whitmore. But it was a futile attempt as his 16 year old sister burst into his room looking disheveled. "I cant find my kilt and I have to catch the bus now!" she said.

"It's in the house Rach...just f-f-find it" Oliver said as he tried to suppress a yawn escaping from his mouth. He turned over to see his sister frantically searching in his laundry bin of, what he knew, were fresh clothes.

"Cant you just do me a favor and accio the damn thing!" the brunette girl said. Oliver surveyed her expression and reached for his wand, waving it wordlessly a blue skirt flew violently out of his clothes bin and pasted itself to Rachel's face. He watched as Rachel peeled it off of her face and stared at him with her blue eyes angrily. This would have amused him greatly if not for his sister's resemblance to their late mother. Oliver tried to push his mother's face out of his head and laughed sleepily as he tried to snuggled right back into his warm covers.

"By the way, day light savings time, it's 8:15 really...bye!" Rachel said before running out of his room. Oliver's eyes opened immediately while his hand grabbed his cell phone beside his clock. Flipping it open the screen displayed "8:19am". Cursing loudly he ran out of his room and into the bathroom him and his sister shared. She was still standing in front of the vanity re-adjusting her school kilt. She smiled sweetly at him and tried to say something he assumed wound be taunts about his disheveled look when he grabbed her skirt at the bottom and tugged it hard.

"Supposed to be a proper _long_ school uniform..." he started before he let go as Rachel almost fell backwards into the damp shower/tub area. "Sod off! I'm wearing tights anyways! Any how! I have to get going. Temperature outside is -10 with wind-chill, you might want to apparate to school, the roads are filled with snow from last night still..." she said as she walked out of the bathroom.

"Be careful!" Oliver shouted through the suds from brushing his teeth. He heard her say "okay!' and a door closed clicked twice. Now he had hurry for school. Then at 2pm, when he's done, to his part-time job with Whitmore. He would not be home until 8 that evening and probably with a huge stack of parchment and assignment. Why did he have to make Math and Physics as his teachable?

2 hours later Oliver ran past bushes and trees trying to get to his second class for the day. Why did he have to take this way he should have just apparated nearer to the building. he honestly thanked his boss for this opportunity since it was he who suggested he enrolled into teachers school. This way he could teach at his sister's school in 3 more years, or work fully as the Junior Minister of Education. This was his second year in school and he liked having to go to classes again. But he always missed riding his broom freely as he used to.

He was a few meters away from the building when an owl swooped down and dropped an scroll of what he knew was the Wizarding Times. Finally he reached the building and after feeling like a trained mouse set free in a maze he found himself panting as he opened the door to his first class. Luckily the teacher had not started class yet. He found a familiar face and flopped right beside that person. In comparison he was already 24 years old while most of the people in his class were 20 but that did not bother him that much. Not until he started to think that half these people in his class have nothing else to bother with but school, the opposite sex and booze while he had to take care of himself, his sister, earn a bit more money to be able to send Rachel to college in a few years.

"Hey...did not miss anything...Chang hasn't even arrived yet" said Oliver's friend said. Oliver did not pay heed to his friend's obviously euphoric state. Looking to the front they watched as the door at the front burst open while a short Chinese man pushed an over head display into the room. This was their cue to take out their pens and calculators.

"Why are we taking this again?" Oliver grumbled as the teacher started to scribble questions on the overhead sheet. His friend turned to him and blinked a few times and shrugged. "Its our teachable remember..." Oliver shrugged and started to pay attention to the professor. Two painful hours later he was packing up his stuff trying to decide whether to go to his study group or go grab food. His friend asked him blankly. He was starting to wonder as to why Liam was looking so aloof of school today. That was not always the case, as he noted a few time that sometimes Liam looked like he was hiding a canary in his mouth, tense so to say.

"Mind asking?" Oliver said as he tried to suppress his laughter. He watched as Liam nodded happily at him.

"Did you..." Oliver started but it was interrupted by ringing and Lia reaching into his pocket pulling out a cell phone. Just by the tone of his friend he knew that it was Liam's girlfriend on the phone. Walking out of the building Liam finally shut his phone and looked at Oliver.

"Yes..." He said to Oliver. Oliver then commented that he did not even ask anything yet, but as Liam reasoned, "I already know what you were going to ask."

Oliver laughed heartily. In an hour he had to go to another class then to work.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN**:

thank you for reviewing **ebbe04** and to that other person who reviewed. )

To answer that **anonymous person's** questions, this is OWxHG fanfic, post hogwarts, non-canon so dont say I didnt warn you. There are a few OC's.

_I do not own Harry Potter_.

Edited:11/24/07

* * *

Chapter 2:

As usual school was dull for Hermione. Why she went for an exchange program, she did not know why, but she knew she needed to get away from Harry and his sickeningly sweet relationship with Ginny, Ron and his flavor of the week, her mum nagging her for the break up with Ron a year ago, her dad nagging her to date one of his interns and everything else of the U.K.

Driving slowly along Water Street she was trying to get to school before classes started. As to why she decided to live off-campus was a mystery to her. She hated driving as much as she hated to watch her two best friends suck face with their girlfriends. She looked out of her window and wondered when the snow plow would be done and let everyone get along with their lives. She also wondered as to how the river got frozen over, that the regulating damns looked like an exhausted water spray trying to spit out what's left in it's bowels.

A honk, however, interrupted her thoughts of the river and back into the road. She looked ahead and saw that they were once again moving. it would not be that long until she gets to the green-section, a.k.a cheapest, parking lot of the East Bank campus and into one of Professor Manning's dull lectures about how people use a common honk as a form of sign for a probably nonexistent, apathetic _public._

Well into the morning, Hermione found herself sitting at one of the tables in one of the various cafe's in that school. She did not even care about how her stir stick was stirring her coffee on its own, people rare cared anyways. Slowly jotting down notes from one of Manning's assigned articles for next week's class she sipped her coffee. However, her concentration was interrupted when a audible crack was heard through the cafe and someone tripping into their food tray. She dropped her book and looked around to see as to who apparated into or nearby the cafe and found a few bushes outside shaking off the snow on it. She looked closer and found someone stumbling out of the bush and running into another direction she knew was the new science complex at the back of the school.

"Hermione!" shouted someone and Hermione's attention snapped out of the running figure in the woods. Looking back she saw an Asian girl standing in front of her, too perky for a gloomy winter's day.

"Charlie, you look happy...got laid last night?" Hermione said as a smirk twitched in her face as well as Charlie's. Charlie's frowned but soon smiled brightly as the girl took space in the seat across Hermione. She just watched the 5'5 girl nod happily, humming to an un-distinguishable tune while taking out a reprotext, or as Hermione calls it, a book imposter.

"I guess that is _why_ you were _not_ in Manning's class this morning" Hermione said as she grabbed the green reprotext opening it to the article she was reading. Charlie just smiled and proceeded looking through Hermione's notes from the earlier class.

"You know if you weren't a cousin" Hermione said mocking annoyance, but the smile on her face betrayed her voice.

"Lucky me, my father's your mum's brother, its great how Asian genes are dominant," Charlie said as she watched Hermione's face twitch, "I've got straight hair unlike your mane".

Hermione still resented that her cousin had straight hair while she was left with a bush back then, but she still loves her cousin either way. At least her hair now was tamed and nicely curly. Instinctively Hermione ran her fingers through her manageable hair and smirked, if not for Mrs. Weasley's book of spells, mostly aesthetic and house work spells, her hair wouldn't even let a finger go through it.

"Class in 10 minutes, I'm getting tea before heading to Chris' seminar. He's nice to look at isn't he?" Charlie said. Hermione watched her as she gathered up her bags. Standing as well she tucked in her reprotext into her bag and followed the shorter woman.

"That's called Teacher-student relations that is illegal-" Hermione commented before she got cut. "-I didn't say sleep with him...plus I have Liam but the idiot didn't wake me up before he left…" Charlie said as she smirked at Hermione. While at the till Hermione then coughed out "_you corrupted him_". In which she got a good whack on the shoulders from Charlie was juggling a wallet, a cup of tea and a black fleece coat.

"You can't corrupt the willing" Charlie finally said before walking out of the cafe.

"I believe that's' you can't _rape_ the willing' Charlie" Hermione said as they pushed through the door to the basement where most of their classes and seminars were. The university seems to think that the basement was a proper place for anthropology majors. Upon arriving Hermione found herself racing Charlie to the nearest seat to the front, luckily she won. Sitting down Hermione looked up to see her T.A a man, just a few years older than her, smiling at her.

"Energetic today, arent we Hermione", he said as he smiled brightly at Hermione and Charlie. Hermione had to admit, if she were given a shot with him she would most likely, _okay fine_...she will **definitely **take him on.

* * *

Oliver sat in his living room drinking cold soup. Rachel had started a whole "eat healthy" program at home and he had to eat what ever she made. Scratching his head he found a flaw in the letter Whitmore made him spell check. Circling the work he proceeded reading until his sister flopped ont he sofa across him. Looking beyond the parchment he found Rachel reading a book and went back to his parchment.

"Ollie-" Rachel started, before even hearing out the rest of what she was going to say Oliver already said "-No". Peeking above his parchment he watched as his sister's face twitched annoyingly. She strongly reminded him of a raccoon at this point.

"I was just going to ask if you could buy me new boots! it's not like I'm asking for a broom" she huffed. Oliver sighed and looked at his sister. It was not like they did not have money, in fact their parents left them a fortune but he was a bit of a prude when it came to spending money since he had to think about the next 3 or 4 more years for both him and his sister. At least he was saving a bit of money by making his sister live at home and not at school. Luckily enough the house he bought for them was a 20 minute bus ride to the wizarding academy in that particular continent.

"How much are they?" Oliver asked. It crept him out as to how he sounded like his dad when he said that. Rachel said that they were only 120$ and in wizard currency that's about 8-9 galleons. He thought about it. Her birthday was near enough.

"Consider it your 17th birthday present" Oliver said. Rachel thanked him profusely and hugged him before heading back up to her room. He was actually thankful that he did not have any problems when it came to school with Rachel. She wasn't as hard headed like him when he was in 6th form. His mind however went to the ringing phone.

Picking it up he found out that his study group was moved to a later hour tomorrow and that he had a whole hour to kill. Maybe he could stop by his aunt's in Toronto for a bit. He sighed, a study group on the weekend. That is just….weird.

-----

AN:

-I'm trying to update every 7 days...let see how I can keep this up. LOL

-If the campus on this story seems familiar to you, then you've prolly been to my university or at least the town its in. Oh if there are typos, I tried my best to correct any.

Thanks for reading. If you dont mind you can review the story too. )


	3. Chapter 3

AN:

Woots, I update a day early. yay go me.

I changed a name or two. Just take note Oliver's friend is now Liam Grant. (thank you Jaqs for picking names)

Thank you for reviewing foolish-sage, ebb04 and mariaboombaby!

To answer ebbe04's question:

It's a muggle college; I haven't really indicated that anywhere in the previous chapters yet.

* * *

Chapter 3:

That weekend, Hermione found herself walking alone freezing in downtown Toronto. Why she picked Canada of all places to move to was a question she liked to ask herself often. The country was not only dreadfully cold and apparently this year the winter was the worst in 10 years. But it reminded her very much of London's weather. Somehow this was comforting, but then again, she'd rather be in that small obscure town two hours away from the city at the university.

Passing by various trendy stores, one of which had a devious name of f.c.u.k that she thought was an ingenious way of catching the _public's_ attention, or so says Charlie who had taken up mocking their linguistic professor every so often, Hermione couldn't help but laugh inside. The _muggle public_ did not know anything of the wizarding community hidden with in the city; even f.c.u.k had a back store that faces the wizarding alley.

Deciding she needed to fill her cupboard back with ingredients for her usually headache remedy Hermione passed by Bloor Street and into an alley just a few meters down. She jabbed her wand, which was always concealed in her sleeve through a wand strap, into the keyhole of a door and it opened. She walked in and looked back at the muggles who were just passing by the door as if it were not there at all. Hermione then closed the door and walked across the open air patio of the entrance and opened the door the left, as the right door would have opened to the Cat's Belly, the local wizarding pub. The left door however lead her to the wizarding complex called the Cat's Alley.

Walking in she groaned and wished she had come around during the week when there weren't much people there, but she did not have the time to do so. "First stop", she thought as she walked into the apothecary.

She always liked this apothecary; it was a tidier version of what they had in Daigon Alley. She needed a few things, meaning a bag or two of things, and she went inside to find that at least the apothecary was not a busy as the alley outside. Who would be out in this cold anyways!

She headed to the herbal section for to find leafy ingredients. She needed odd herbs that could not be found in the grocery. As she stocked up her shopping basket she watched as a teenager pile up her own basket with bottles and bottle of what seemed to be stocks of the standard potion kit. Just as Hermione was about to pick up a bottle of lacewing flies, in the dried insect section, the girl also picked up the very last bottle. They looked at each other and Hermione guessed that the girl was about 16 or 17.

"Sorry... you can take it" the girl said. Hermione then motioned to her and replied "you take it. I can just come back later"

"No really its okay" the girl insisted.

"Well you'll need this for NEWT potions...please take it…good day" Hermione said as she smiled at the girl. Hermione went on and lined up for the till when the girl walked right behind her.

"How did you know my age, are you a seer?" asked the girl. Hermione smirked and looked back at the girl. She looked familiar. "And you're a Brit!" the girl added.

"Yes I am and you are…Scottish or Irish…cant really distinguish the two…" Hermione said judging by the girl's face she hit the guess.

"I knew because in 6th year we were taught…that poly juice potions had lacewings. I hardly think there is another use for it, unless you're trying to brew the potion for the invisible cloak" Hermione said."you can make those cloaks? Cool!" the girl said. The two chatted along until Hermione got to the till and she left. Hermione was amused at the teenager she met. She wished she was as bubbly as that girl, but that was not possible when she had 3 essays to hand in that coming Thursday.

* * *

Slightly relieved that his study group decided to call it a day an hour earlier, Oliver found himself wishing Rachel was still young enough to put a toddler strap on her arm. She shot to the left, to the right, and dead center as she ogled at what store she wanted to buy clothes in. He had promised to buy her new boots since her old ones were dying slowly due to the vast amount of salt scattered on the streets.

They had stopped at the store and she bought them and she was now wearing them. But Oliver gave her 15 galleons, since the currency exchange between the two was up to 15$CAN to one Galleon, Rachel had about 225$ to spend that day. It was under her discretion to use that money and a whole chunk of it went to her boots.

'"Oh! Let's go to the Alley I need to buy supplies for potions" Rachel said as she looked through the Nine West window display. He merely shrugged and dragged her along with him. Entering the alley Oliver told Rachel to go on ahead and meet him at the Quod Ball, same as the quidditch supplies store but slightly different. Oliver watched as his sister walked towards the apothecary.

Seeing that she was already in the apothecary, he headed down the alley and into the Quod Ball store. It reminded him much of the store in Diagon Alley and he noticed that there were more Quidditch posters and books in the store, than there was a few weeks back.

The back door opened and the store owner, a short plump graying man, walked out and greeted him as he went through the new Q.S, Quidditch Source, magazine when the store owner talked to him.

"Dare say, do you play quidditch?" The old man asked. Oliver smiled and nodded, "Used to, till I moved here"

The store owner blinked a few times and looked down and up from the book laying on his desk. Oliver just smiled and went on looking at the imported snitches and smiled as he got to a poster of Harry Potter playing with a snitch with words appearing in and out "Sports is better than bullying".

Oliver suppressed his laughter as he could see that Potter looked a bit nervous standing in the poster. He flipped through the December issue of the Q.S and did not notice the store owner's prying eyes. After flipping through the December issue he picked up the January issue and cracked it open to see an article about the Puddlemere United. This caught his attention as he skimmed through the article.

The owner coughed loudly and Oliver took this as "Are you going to buy it or not". Deciding he wanted the Q.S he headed to the till along with January issue as well as picking up a new tin of wax for his old broom along the way. The owner punched in his items and Oliver paid 17 sickles and 5 knuts. This was when Rachel walked into the store holding a bagful of ingredients.

"What the bloody hell did yeh do in potions? Poured all the contents of yer kit!" Oliver groaned as he looked through her bag, as the owner was having problems with the till, Rachel scratched her head.

"Like you never did that at Hogwarts!" Rachel said as she slapped Oliver's hand away from the bottle of Stinksnap. "Of course I did I'm-" Oliver started.

"-I'm _Oliver-Bloody-Wood_" Rachel finished as she watched her brother's face twitch into a smile. He always did like to humor her, which was about the only thing that made their life easier with out their parents. This was when the till finally cracked open and a resounding "DING!" echoed in the almost empty store. Oliver looked back to see the owner putting in his money and packing the merchandise into a paper bag. They said their thanks and before they could walk away the owner called back Oliver and handed out a pamphlet.

"It's a quidditch tournament for those who are interest...think you'll like it...not till spring though. I hear that Harry Potter is hosting it. Well, have a good day!" the owner said before tending to the next customer a 10 year old boy who looked at Oliver as if he were a ghost or something.

The owner watched as Oliver and Rachel walked away laughing when the little boy asked the owner. "Wasn't he from Puddlemere United?" The owner went through the index of his book, coincidentally called "Quidditch teams 1995-1997 edition….."

AN:

Thank you for reading and if you feel up to it leave a mark.

Cat's Alley would be found right off of Yonge and Bloor :P if familiar to Toronto thats like the downtown core. Typical really, why didn't I pick Victoria, in B.C instead eh? Never been to the west coast, maybe someday.


	4. Chapter 4

AN:

Thank you for reviewing! ebbe04 and ginsensu!

* * *

Chapter 4:

Hazy images walked through a door. A woman and a man holding hands but one could notice that even if they were connected, somehow there was a disconnection between them. Even as the ritual of holding hands, supposed to be one of the first steps of intimacy, was being acted out, the two were obviously not being intimate at all. It always takes two to tango as they say and this also applies to intimacy.

"…I can't anymore" the woman said as she brushed the man's hair out of his face. The man stuttered a reply but the woman beat him to it. "I know…but we have to face it, its not there anymore". The man hung his head low and it still did not reach the woman's height. He apparently was really tall.

"We could work on it…..we always have" the man said but the woman shook her head.

"No Ron, you know it as well as I do…." The woman said to the man. An awkward silence took over their conversation as the man reached to hug the woman tightly. "I-I know…." The man said. The woman smiled painfully at the man. She couldn't help it, she knew it as well as he did, there was a woman in his heart and it was not her anymore. It used to be her but not anymore, their long relationship had morphed into friendship again and she had to accept it. She looked up and watched as the man said "Ring ring, ring, ring…" over and over. She tried to make sense of it until she heard a distant ringing.

RING-RING-RING

Hermione woke up to a jolt as she was woken up by her phone. Cursing under her breath she looked to the clock on her side table and cursed louder. Who calls someone at 6am in the morning? Fumbling, she finally got hold of the phone and a woman's voice was heard.

"Hermione, sweetie…." The woman said and all Hermione could do was groan.

"Good morning mother how's lunch?" Hermione said as she flopped down to her comfy pillow. She did not want to do anything else but fall back to sleep.

"As usual your father insists it'd be salmon. Apparently good for the heart" her mother said sounding quite annoyed. Hermione stifled a laugh as she pulled her covers up back.

"And what may I do for you mother? You _did_ wake me up 2 hours before I was supposed to wake up. This better be good" Hermione said warningly. Her mother always called her when her mother found a new hopeless intern to set her up with.

"Well there is this intern and…." Her mother started.

"Mother! No!" Hermione groaned. She had a feeling her mother was going to call sometime soon. She always prided herself with this seer like ability of knowing when her mother was going to call about a new blind date.

"Hermione…I'm just looking after your best interest! I hear Charlie is getting serious with that boyfriend of hers...why can't you just meet-" her mother said. Hermione could her hear father jabbing into the conversation by suggesting some of his interns.

"-Mum …for the last time, No! And for future references, I will ask you if I wanted to be set up with-" Hermione said but stopped as she heard her father comment loudly at the back, "-She still not over Ron-". Hermione groaned even loudly as her father shouted at the other end.

"I don't have Charlie's luck and _I am _over _**him**_…better be alone than with someone who only gives you half his heart." Hermione said. This seemed to have a satisfactory result as silence crept into the conversation. Her mother then gave up and started to ask her about school, if she needed anything from home, if she wanted _to go home_ and all of that stuff. It was about 7:00am when her mother finally ended the call and Hermione was already half way through eating her breakfast.

Standing up, she placed the bowl she used for eating oatmeal into the sink when her phone rang again.

"Mother! No!" Hermione said as she stifled a laugh. Her mother always liked to humor her.

"I honestly _do not_ sound like Aunt Selene" the voice said. Hermione bit her laughter when she realized it was Charlie on the other side of the line.

"Yes? So early to call Charlie" Hermione said as she washed the dishes with her hands and cradling the phone on her shoulder. She wanted to do housework the muggle way these days. It's more normal.

"Well. I was wondering if you could open your door to let me in" Charlie said. Hermione ran to the window and peeped a bit to see her cousin standing beside 3 feet of shoveled snow making Charlie look like she was smaller than she really was. After a few minutes Charlie had settled into Hermione's living room warming up by the heater.

"Thanks, Liam and I had a little argument. Your place was the nearest to his so I walked over" Charlie said as she picked up Hermione's wand, which was by the side table and waved it and a daisy sprouted from the tip. Charlie frowned and put back the wand on the table.

"About what again? You two always seem to argue over the stupidest things!" Hermione said as she watched Charlie pull out another wand from her own bag. It still amazed her how her mother ended up to be a granddaughter of a squib. Meaning her great grand father was a wizard fortunately Charlie's dad was a wizard and her mother a witch so she knew about the magic world since she was born. Hermione watched as Charlie made room for a fireplace in the living room and started a fire.

"Well….He asked if I was on the pill…I said yes. Then he asked me what I was on and I couldn't tell him I was just using a spell!" Charlie said. Hermione shook her head. This is why she liked not using magic and doing most things through muggle way.

"Its been 2 years with him right? He at least deserves to know that you're a witch!" Hermione exclaimed as she got up from the sofa.

"Statue of secrecy decree 20 section 4, A wizard/witch can only tell a muggle that he or she is a wizard/witch if they were married. Section 5: If I muggle finds out due to unreasonable circumstances the wizard/witch is to obliviate the muggle's memory" Charlie said to Hermione who stopped walking away to look around to see Charlie flicking her wand making tea and biscuits appear.

"Charlotte Wellington, you are a sad witch. _Unreasonable circumstances_!...and why are you not working for the ministry if you can just call out laws like that" Hermione exclaimed.

"Because, my mother works for the ministry, can you actually see me in those office robes they wear?" Charlie said through sipping her tea. Hermione just laughed and walked away. By 9am they were both sitting in a class both struggling to stay awake as the short teacher droned on about Tutmoses III tomb in upper Lower Egypt.

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When most of his peers were romancing girls at the University library, Oliver found himself glued to an uncomfortable chair as his boss convinced the school board trusties that the budget cut was a reasonable one. With a typewriter, Oliver clicked along as he transcribed the on going debate about the cut.

"Unreasonable! 3percent cut! Why not just 2!" exclaimed an old plump witch, Oliver knew was a the trusty of his sister's school. A man, barely 50, resembling Richard Gere, then spoke, "With all due respect Madam Croon, 3 percent is the needed cut to keep the finances up. It is either you make the cut or you'll have to raise your tuition! The ministry is already providing the potions lab with new installments".

Oliver winced as his boss, the Richard Gere look-a-like, nearly growled through his clenched teeth. The cut wasn't that bad, not like the cut the sports department had to do early the year before, though Oliver was secretly smirking, he didn't like Quod Ball as much as Quidditch.

An hour later, the meeting was adjourned with an agreement of a 2.5 percent cut this year round. Oliver cracked his knuckles as he took time to pack up his stuff. After every single grumbling school trusty walked out Oliver stood up and stretched yawning.

"Job too boring Wood?" asked Whitmore. Oliver snapped around to see his boss shaking his head as the last of the trusties walked out.

"2.5 percent. I mean honestly….Its not my place to say anything though sir" Oliver said.

"You keep up that muggle degree and you'll be able to cut loose from this institution" Whitmore said as the two walked down the vast halls of the Ministry.

"Trying….anyhow, the minister's office sent in the invitation to the ministry ball on the 10th of February" Oliver said, he took out an envelope and handed it to his boss.

"10th of February, No can do, I've been invited to England for the yearly international education committee." Whitmore said. Oliver grabbed the planner, seeing as they were in their office already. Whitmore was going to be in Oxford for the 8th to the 11th of February.

"I'll send an owl saying that you can't attend then sir" Oliver said as he scribbled down a note into the planner. Whitmore didn't respond for a bit, until seconds later he shouted from his office.

"Why don't you go? I need ears and eyes there." Whitmore suggested. Oliver protested, saying that he had a lot of papers to write. "It'll be fun, bring a lady friend!" Whitmore teased Oliver.

"B-but" Oliver stammered. Who would he bring!?

"Oh the great romancer from Puddlemere United scared of women? C'mon it'll be a good time. That's an order Wood" Whitmore said firmly and Oliver just hung his head low. Now he did not only need to find his formal robes, but find a date as well. He wouldn't want to bring his sister.

"It's settled, you're going." Whitmore said smiling at the younger man. Oliver just sighed and agreed so while he took out parchment and a quill to jot down Whitmore's long winded apology letter how he couldn't go to the ball and how he was sending his assistant, Oliver, to the ball instead.

-

AN:

They'll meet soon I promise :).

Thanks for reading and dont hesitate to leave a mark.


	5. Chapter 5

AN:

thank you for reviewing! ebbe04, ginsensu and mariaboombaby.

* * *

Chapter 5: 

"The function of x ….." Oliver muttered as he wrote out what as his professor called out the answer to the weekly assignment. He realized then he made a mistake on his assignment and he couldn't help it but frown. He should've taken Liam's offer on help. Half an hour later he walked out of the lecture hall with his group of friends. They walked towards the café nearby ready to go over the questions for next week's assignment and none of them were too keen on actually going into the hand out the professor gave them, but all knew they might as well.

"I can't believe it…seriously Liam, if you're going to tell us that you've gotten another 90 percent I'll throw my text book at you" groaned one of the guys. Oliver just shook his head, as this was the same routine done every week since their first year together as a study group.

Upon arriving to the café most of them had taken up a seat at a table by the very back of the café while some, Oliver included, went into the partition towards the stores to buy food. No one really did buy food but rather they bought coffer or tea, which ever is their preference.

Oliver was the last who got to the table and he sat on the vacant seat. Pulling out his clip board he looked down the table and noticed that everyone was still groaning over their assignments. Deciding this was the best time to check his marks, as he did not want do that earlier, he flipped through it and fond that he got an 87 percent. Smiling idiotically one of his study mates then asked "What did you get Ol'?"

"What did _you_ get?" Oliver asked back. Every single of one of them then called out their marks, 82, 80, 75, 79. Then the only girl in the group then said "85". Oliver noted she looked quite smug about it and he understood it well. They all looked at Liam who was busily fumbling with this cell phone. He looked up and smiled before saying "89" this was when everyone groaned except for the girl who commented she was the nearest to Liam's mark.

"87" Oliver then said which caught the girl mid sentence. She gaped at him and huffed before throwing a compliment over to Liam who was too busy typing a text message on his cell to notice her. Oliver just laughed, he knew that the girl liked Liam but he also knew that she was not Liam's type and that Liam was seeing a girl named Charlie for the past two years.

"Oy…we're starting" said a blonde guy at the very end of the table and Liam excused himself from the table. "Start ahead I have to take care of something" he said before walking away. Oliver watched him walk to two women who just walked into the café. The oriental one was Charlie but Oliver had a feeling that he had seen the other woman somewhere, but he couldn't his finger on it.

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"It was your turn to stay up Charlie!" groaned Hermione as they walked out of the room. It was not like Hermione slacked off these days, it was more like she just refused to stay up for a boring lecture from a professor whose monotone voice lulled the class with in the first 20 minutes of the class. She did not slack anywhere else, she just did not have the metal prowess to stay awake in that particular class. Even Binns was entertaining in her opinion.

"I did not get any sleep last night!" Charlie exclaimed as if her claim to lack there of sleep was a good one. Hermione then commented that if she had chosen to sleep rather than doing other things she would have gotten enough sleep for the day. To this thought Charlie was about to comment when she stopped at her tracks and stared towards the front. Hermione did not notice it until she looked behind her to make a cheeky comment about _rabbit behavior. _

"Hey Hermione" someone said and Hermione looked ahead to find a tall brunette guy who looked like he'd rather run than actually talk to her or Charlie.

"Hi Liam….oh look at the time I haven't had lunch yet…." Hermione said as she felt his gaze go through her to Charlie. She smiled and noted that his eyes were almost as blue as Ron's during a sunny day. Before she knew it she was walking away and looking at a Charlie who was pleading for her not to walk away, but Hermione knew she had to leave them alone.

Going through the barrier she lined up at Grill Works and looked back to watch Charlie and Liam talk calmly not long after it was her turn to order and she did. She then headed to the till to pay for her food.

"That would be 8.75" said the lunch lady in which Hermione went through her wallet and took out 8 gold coins and 3 sliver ones, not really paying attention to the coins as she was still half watching Charlie having trouble explaining to Liam.

"Come on…I don't need arcade money" said the lunch lady to Hermione as she did a double take at the coins she laid on the counter. She then realized she took out wizarding money. She smiled ruefully and dug in her wallet for muggle money when someone behind her said "Aye…I'll pay for the lass".

Hermione looked back to see a familiar face, a face she hadn't for almost a decade, a face she couldn't tag a name with. She watched him smile at her as the lunch lady rolled her eyes at him, but he kept his brown eyes on hers with a constant grin plastered on his face. He handed her the food she bought and they walked away, both still watching Charlie and Liam obviously making up as they were both smiling at that point.

"You think there'll be a week those two won't squabble?" the guy asked as they reached an empty table nearby. Hermione looked at him and tried to remember his name but she couldn't remember at all.

"You look like you swallowed a pixie….I saw the twins do it once for a dare mind you…" he said to her as he picked on her plate of fries.

"I don't remember your name but I know you" Hermione said as she sat down and found her thoughts were drifting away from Charlie and onto the man in front of her. She noted she had a cocky air to him, but a very appealing air at that.

"Wood, and I remember you as…hmm…Bookworm extraordinaire of Gryffindor" He said as he took a seat across her. Then it clicked in her mind, this was the Quidditch fanatic Wood who she once found narrating a made up Quidditch game late at night in the common room with his miniature pitch.

"Did the twins tell you that Oliver-_bloody-_ Wood?" Hermione said cheekily and watched as Oliver smiled at her as if she had piqued his interest. Some would ask as to why Oliver says 'bloody' in his name and this was accounted for him playing for Puddlemere, it was his catch phrase then. In Oliver's mind he knew he remembered her, the girl who told him off for breaking a book's spine in the Hogwart's library.

"Of course they did…uhm..Herimni?" Oliver said not sure of Hermione name.

"Hermione" she said trying to teach another person her name as apparently her name was very hard to read out.

"Well _Hermione_, how do you know Charlotte over there?" Oliver asked as the both looked at Charlie and Liam.

"My cousin" Hermione said. At this time the two were already walking towards them. Oliver was about to say something to Charlie when someone from their study group shouted "Oy Oliver stop picking up girls" in which Oliver rolled his eyes and stood up offering his hand to Hermione.

"Its good to see you again Hermione" He said as Hermione shook his hand, "Good to see you again Wood" Hermione said as she grinned at him. Oliver then looked at Liam and stifled a laugh before walking away to rejoin their group. Charlie looking bewildered sat across Hermione and asked as to whose pizza slice was in front of her. Hermione reached for it and held it out when Oliver walked back shaking his head taking the pizza from and smiled her embarrassingly.

"How do you know him?" Charlie asked Hermione as she picked on the platter in front of them. "School back home"

It took about a few seconds before Charlie's asked her if Oliver was a wizard. Hermione looked at her and nodded and Charlie made a face.

"Why?" Hermione asked.

"Cuz he made a lewd joke about trolls once and none of the muggles knew what he was talking about…mind you most of them were drunk" Charlie said. Hermione then looked back to see Oliver watching her from the distance. "And now the eye contact begins, then more forward flirting…and maybe bed?" Charlie commented and Hermione flushed.

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The clocked ticked 6pm and Oliver tapped his fingers as he sat at his desk trying to remember which scrolls to bring home that night. He heard laughter from inside's Whitmore's office and shook his head. Whenever Madam Wellington, the head of Health, was over she and Whitmore always poked fun at his single life. He wouldn't be surprised if they both walked to his desk only to suggest another hopeless case from another department.

"So Oliver…" Whitmore started. Both he and Madam Wellington, a short Asian woman, stepped out of the office to gather in front of his desk. Oliver prepared his mind to answer nicely to all of their pressing about his single life.

AN:

see they've met already. wow it took me 4 chapters to make them meet. thats new. anyhow. thanks for reviewing and dont hesitate to leave a mark.

If there are typos, I will get them smoothen out by the next update.


	6. Chapter 6

An:

thank you for reviewing ginsensu,ebbe04 and mariaboombaby. :)

heads up, a longer chapter ahead. dont get used to it. in trying to keep each chapter under 2000 words. iunno. its a challenge. I can write more but I find it that I over do it so yea. short chapters!..

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Chapter 6

After the encounter with Wood, Hermione couldn't just feel slightly bit upbeat. She always thought he was cute, she even fancied him at school but she would never admit it. He was too Quidditch crazed back then to even think about girls, Katie Bell had a hard time dating him then and Hermione couldn't blame her.

Through out the following few days, she kept on bumping into him and every time she would feel her cheeks burn as he waved hi to her with him smiling heavenly at her. She had not had this kind of reaction since Ron when they were in their second year.

Hermione thought, maybe she was just attracted to him because he was a remnant of her past from Hogwarts. He was something familiar, a comforting thought that reminds her that many did survive the war. But Hermione had to admit, Oliver seems to have been giving her smiles that suggested that he wanted to talk to her. But why would he want to talk to her?

Friday afternoon, Hermione found herself grumbling as she punched in the orders of an old lady across the till. She really hated know-it-all old ladies who think they could run everyone over with their apparent old age and seniority.

"That's 5.12" Hermione said as she watched the old lady give her a defiant glare before paying her the money. After the lady left Hermione ducked under her till and reached for the change box, she had been meaning to refill her change earlier before the old lady stopped by. She grabbed a roll of quarters and dimes, but before she cold rummage for a roll of loonies she heard the door's bell ring and a couple of voices walk into the relatively silent coffee shop.

Slowly rising she peeked to see Wood with the girl she had bumped into in Cat's Alley a week ago. They were in heated discussion heavily discussed in a Scottish accent.

"I'm telling you…you're going to end up lonely old man who will regret not ever stepping into another pitch!" exclaimed Rachel as they walked into the cozy coffee shop.

"The scouting is not till the end of March, its only January" Oliver said nonchalantly, however his attention was grabbed by the woman manning the shop till.

"I have time to decide Rachel" Oliver added. Rachel did not notice her brother's voice of disinterest as she was too busy looking at the tiny lettering on the menu tablet above the counter.

"And what are you doing working here Hermy, I can call you Hermy right?" Oliver said cheekily at Hermione who was just smirking silently at him. He felt that she either thought he was cute or he was absolutely annoying for even saying that to her.

"Well Wood, it depends" Hermione said as she felt her cheeks flare up from how Oliver was paying attention to her. His body hunched over her counter smiling as if he were smiling at one of his admirers at school. His cheeky smile and piercing stare made her feel that he was undressing her slowly in his mind.

"Depends on what" Oliver started stopping mid sentence to flash Hermione his fan-panty dropping smile, or at least his old fans used to think, before lustily adding "Hermy".

Hermione had to admit it, he was pretty cute but she always thought everything he talked about was Quidditch. She could imagine him moaning out "quaffle" instead of her name in bed, not that she would tell Wood she was fancying him between her legs.

"Depends" Hermione said as she leaned on the counter nearing her face to Oliver's whose expression changed from, I'm-Oliver-Bloody-Wood face to "_what do I do_" face.

Hermione stifled a laugh thinking of how she somehow made him flush. "Depends if you'll let your date order" she finally added before standing up properly to smile at Rachel who looked slightly bit disgusted.

Oliver blinked at her a few times before it registered in his head but before he could say anything, Rachel already exclaimed "Ew he's my brother!" with apparent disgust plastered on her face. Hermione felt embarrassed for saying that and tried to repair the conversation but the siblings were already staring at each with revulsion by the time she apologized.

Trying to remember the lecture the other day about conversational repair sequences, Hermione scrambled like a white mouse running through a maze to find the cheese. But as the mouse approached the middle, the cheese was not there at all. Panic seeped into her expression as she watched the two siblings look at each other in disgust, jumping two feet apart.

"You're forgiven, you did give me the last bottle of lacewings" Rachel finally said as Hermione looked panicked across the counter. "Mr. Romance over here will have a slice of chocolate mouse cake and a cup of tea while I'll have a mocha latte" Rachel said to Hermione who decided to turn her back and hurriedly make the orders.

Oliver groaned inwardly, he could've made a move on any other woman in the store but he just had to do it to Hermione Granger, the savior of all book spines in the Hogwarts library. He felt his face redden even more. Putting down a 20 dollar bill he muttered finding a seat to Rachel before walking away.

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Groaning loudly, Oliver rolled around the floor of Liam's living room. Hugging a throw pillow, he buried his face into the pillow and tried to make that embarrassing moment with Hermione go away. But what ever he did nothing did work. Not even imagining Giselle(you know the model?) in a swimsuit worked.

"Get over it and take the controller, you're stalling our game" Liam commented as Oliver looked up to see that at least he was beating his friend in Gran Turismo4. Looking back he saw that Liam looked depressed for some reason, its was not like the boy failed any of their assignments that week. Then it clicked in Oliver's mind that it must've been about the girlfriend. A girlfriend, maybe if he, Oliver, was lucky he could find one during this particular decade.

"Something bothering you?" Oliver finally said as he sat down on the futon and grabbed his controller. Liam looked at him and shook his head forcing a smile before pressing the start button to resume their game.

"You two honestly need to-" Oliver started but Liam cut in "She needs to tell me more, I mean I just touched this chopstick thing in her bag the other week and she got really mad. I mean its just a stick"

Blinking at what Liam said Oliver lost track of his game and his car lost its position. "What stick?"

"Like that one I found in your sister's desk sometime ago, Rachel at least let me take a look at its carvings" Liam said as his car passed the checkered flag in the game. Oliver's thoughts were muffled by the song coming from the game.

"Anyhow, I'm just being touchy. So how about that incident. I honestly thought you would go for someone older" Liam finally said. Oliver was silent for a few seconds thinking about what his friend just said. A stick, with carvings, something she didn't want Liam to see or touch. It made him think. Was it possible that she's a witch like her cousin?

"Dude you lost" a voice interrupted Oliver's thoughts which were already wandering towards Hermione. Oliver looked towards the telly and groaned calling for a rematch.

Later that evening, after much teasing by Liam and as well as Rachel, Oliver laid in his bed thinking of many things. Firstly he needed that date for the ministry ball in three weeks; Madam Wellington of the Health department had been nagging him about someone she knows. It was quite tiresome to listen to her and Whitmore suggest possible dates to him.

Secondly, he was thinking of that Quidditch tournament. It would be a great opportunity, he might even find another team and finally stop working for the Ministry. Lastly, just before he fell into slumber he was fantasizing of how he would be a smooth talker when he bumps into Hermione again.

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It was Friday night and Hermione found herself sitting in Charlie's living room smiling politely as her Aunt Athena prodded and teased Charlie while her Uncle Edwin interrogated her about her very own non existent love life. As much as authors say that the coffee shop employee's lives was a whirlwind, chick lit worthy, romantic, prince charming sweeps you off, Hermione couldn't feel that it was all a lie. Her love life was as unchanging as Snape's hair style.

"So how about you Hermione any guy out there yet?" a forty something Asian woman asked her. Hermione smiled and shook her head. _Well_ there was Wood who made a pass at her earlier, but that did not count.

"Talking about guys weren't you going to suggest something Athena dear?" said Hermione's uncle through his tea biscuit. Athena pursed her lips as they all watched Edwin who gave the biscuit a look of disgust as if he were a rabbit who nibbled on a bitter vegetable.

"Do you remember Mr. Whitmore?" Athena started and Hermione could see her cousin's face turn cold. Hermione then interrupted and said that they both still remember Mr. Whitmore, least to say, both young women added "prick, Dirty-Old-Man" silently in their minds. The last time Athena had them over and Whitmore as well, the old man made a pass on both Charlie and Hermione.

"Well his assistant is going for him to this year's ball and I was thinking, maybe you should go with him dear. The poor dear doesn't have a date I heard" Athena ended as she gave a smile towards both ladies.

Hermione kicked her uncle's leg and gave him a reprimanding glare. Edwin blinked a few times and groaned as he realized that he played right into his wife's plan. It was not a secret that Athena did not like Charlie's boyfriend. Not that she was a blood purist, she did marry Hermione's uncle after all, it was more that Athena just did not give Liam a chance.

"Mom, can you just f-" Charlie started but Hermione coughed loudly and interrupted. "Aunt Athena, more tea? Charlie and I bought this tea a few weeks ago from that lovely-"

"-All I say is that Liam may not be the right guy for you! So young already tied to someone-" Athena said. "-You were already married at my age mother" Charlie said back.

Hermione gave up on the tea and placed the teapot down on the coffee table. Giving up on breaking the possible war between the mother and daughter, both Hermione and Edwin started to sip their tea trying to block out the sudden awkward silence in the room as the two other glared at each other.

"I wasn't telling you to go with him Charlotte, I was merely stating it out for Hermione" she added. Hermione and Edwin both sputtered their tea and looked at Athena wide eyed. This was not something they expected. It was most unusual!

"He's about 26 I believe, very handsome young man" Athena said. Charlie's ears suddenly perked up like a cat hearing a mouse scuttling. Hermione gaped between the two women and shook her.

"First my mother, now you too!" Hermione groaned. "I am not a hopeless case-"

"-who said you were? Is your mother being pushy again" Edwin interjected.

"She calls every month just to suggest new interns to Hermione" Charlie giggled while Hermione sent a good glare at her.

"You really don't have to agree to anything Hermione, I am just merely suggesting" Athena ended. But her Cheshire cat smile suggested that she had one more thing up her sleeves. An hour later Athena and Edwin left, but before they left Athena said one thing that made both Hermione and Charlie break down laughing.

"You might know him from Hogwarts" she said before handing Hermione a picture of Wood wearing ministry robes. He looked quite uncomfortable as he tugged his collar every so often while Whitmore smiled on like a pro.

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AN:

I 3 Athena, Charlie's mom, shes gonna be as worse as Madam Catalan from my other fic. 3!

thanks for reading...dont hesitate to leave ur mark ;)


	7. Chapter 7

AN:

Thanks for reviewing, amythestpony, ebb04, Diana in texas...:)

and more OC's to come. ha. dont hate. they fill the gaps you see...anyhow. enjoy!

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Chapter 7: 

"…graphing calculators are allowed in the test but only after it's memory have been erased by me…"

Oliver leaned back on his chair and scratched his head as he blocked out their irritating professor. He always liked that lecture hall, the chairs were comfy and he could make the back of the chair lean back quite low. A slackers chair, he commented to himself, but not that he was complaining. After being hunched over ten 7 feet long rolls for the whole nite, leaning back seemed to ease his strained back muscles.

"….pens are only allowed for writing your name in the front of the test the rest has to be done in pencil, legible and please I do no tolerate much chicken scratches…."

Oliver wondered when his professor would finally shut up and let them all out. The nice thing about that particular course was that they had a 15 percent worth test every two months. This was their first test for the semester and no one was looking forward to it. Liam however, Oliver commented, looked like he could careless.

Not far from that lecture hall, Hermione sat idly as she heard her professor rant out about how no one seems to be doing any of their reading. As far as she cares, the professor should just stop whining and get on with the class.

"That's it, no class today. All of you are marked zero for today's attendance" boomed a plump middle age man as he angrily packed his stuff and stomped out of the classroom. Every single person in the class blinked blankly at the professor's retreating back, all wondering if he were pms-ing or something like that.

A loud thump, however, was heard in the room and everyone turned to look at Charlie who was rubbing her forehead while Hermione held back her laughter. It was not the first time Charlie had fallen asleep in that class.

"Class done already?" Charlie said cautiously as everyone shook their heads. Hermione checked her watch and snorted. This was yet the fastest lecture from Manning ever, 20 minutes in and already done.

As the class walked out of the room, everyone was talking about the professor's tantrum. He was usually a jolly man, where did that tantrum come from, lack of sleep? Scarcely a worthy reason to give them all a zero for the day.

"Just watch it, he'll fail us all in the take-home next week!" commented one of the students. Hermione wished not, she didn't want that to dent her outstanding record.

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Rachel walked through the quod pitch in her school. It amazed her at how the school hid the grounds, not only were they about 5 miles north of her brother's university, there were much student housing about 3 miles east of their school.

With broom her broom in hand, she hovered the broom for a bit until she buttoned up her coat. Many would think that her school were a private boarding school due to their uniform and school sanctioned coats. She always laughed when people ask Oliver if he was rich for being able to send her to that secluded school. In truth Oliver is rich, he was just a prude.

Kicking off Rachel soared 30 feet above the ground, she then realized she should have at least put on her track pants instead of just being in her black tights. She hated playing quod, she really did, but it was the only sports being played at that school. Though she was a part of a Quidditch club, there was only enough of them to man barely two teams. Most of them were from the European schools, such as Hogwarts, whose families fled Europe during the war, some really just appreciated the sport.

"Nice legs Wood" a voice boomed from the stands. Rachel turned around to find a redhead boy of 17 sitting down by the top box holding a broom. She made a face and wished she didn't take the time to get on her broom.

"You know, you should just really join our college team" he said as he flew to her making her snort, like she would join her college. In her school, there were not houses, but colleges. There were three to be exact and she had somehow landed into the college that resembled Gryffindor.

"What's it to you Sheppard, finally realizing your team sucks?" Rachel commented. The boy just snorted and said that it would be great to have an excellent flyer for his team. "That and one of my players recently broke his arm and his mother wont let him heal it the magical way. A lesson, I believe that's what she called it"

"No…." Rachel said. She might as well not; Quod was unorganized, less exciting and dull.

"How's about a deal" Sheppard suggested as she smiled at her suggestively. Rachel was about to spit no at the boy, as it was a known fact that Sheppard had the biggest crush on her. Sheppard then mocked a British accent saying "don't get your underwear in a twist!"

"That's_ knickers_ you fool" Rachel said as she made fun of the obviously embarrassed boy. "Fine _knickers._ Deal is, I'll play Quidditch against you….oh don't look at me like that. I do have family from England. If I win, you'll play for my team for Quod and if you win, I'll try to persuade the sports head of this school to let your club to be recognized as a sports club"

Rachel thought about it, she could take that bet. The sports head found it appalling to lend the pitch to the Quidditch club once a week it angered her. "What's the catch Sheppard?"

"I'm just being nice…." Sheppard said while his voice faltered. "Okay fine, you just hate me so much I want you to give the slightest chance to prove to you I'm an okay guy"

"Fine" Rachel said hastily before she changed her mind about agreeing to his bet. "As long as you pick your own team, and don't buy mine out"

"Cousins allowed?" Sheppard suggested, but Rachel knew his cousins were visiting from Europe.

"Then brothers allowed as well" Rachel finally said. Sheppard thought about it and reasoned that Rachel couldn't be related to _the Wood_ in anyway, or so he thought.

"Deal, second Saturday of February, 10am that gives you a week and a half to accept that you'll loose" Sheppard said. Rachel just shrugged and thought that Sheppard better know what the hell he was getting himself into.

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"OLIVER PLEAAAAAAAAASE" Oliver ducked into the basement of the anthropology department to get away from his pleading sister who had conveniently dropped by early afternoon at his class.

"Shhh lass, Merlin, sometimes you prove to me how much like mum you are!" Oliver exclaimed as he watched Rachel's face turned sour. Their mother's voice could rival Mrs. Weasley's and that was something that could make them both deaf.

"Come on Ollie, mere high school students. Come on, the club doesn't have a good enough keeper!" Rachel pleaded as she did not pay attention to a bunch of girls who looked at the embarrassed Oliver.

"And making yeh brother keep is fair?" he said as she walked deeper into the basement. "I played for Puddlemere for crying out loud, is that fair Rachel?"

"It is fair! That bastard Sheppard is making his cousins from Durmstrang and Hogwarts play for his team! We need all the help we can get…." Rachel said. Oliver was about to say something when someone interrupted them.

"You two better find another place to banter, I doubt a ministry worker should even talk about _that_ amongst the muggle public" a woman said. Oliver turned around to see Charlie standing in the hall with a foot high stack of books.

"Oh so you are _one_!" Oliver commented. "You confuse yeh boyfriend all the time!"

"Don't make her call out the statue of secrecy sections, she's got them memorized" Hermione interjected as she walked towards them with an equally high stack of books. "She was suppose to go into Magical Law Enforcement and become a judge till she decided not to"

"Hello. Names Rachel, you must be the well ranted about Charlotte Wellington. Liam really does love you a lot." Rachel said as she smiled at Charlie who smiled back.

"No" Oliver cut through.

"Ollie, consider it training for that tournament" Rachel said. Oliver then reminded Rachel that he hadn't owled in his application yet.

"I sent it in before I came here" Rachel said as she smiled at Oliver who looked grave. Hermione then commented that Rachel knew just how to deal with Oliver while Charlie shook her head in amusement. "Give it a chance?" Hermione then said.

"F-Fine! I'll help out…I have a class now, scoot lass go home" Oliver said before he walked away blushing, "And nice seeing you again Hermione."

"Oh so no 'nice seeing you too Charlie' " Charlie said indignantly, but her face was smiling in amusement.

"Sorry..._TELL HIM_….good bye" Oliver finally said as she walked out of the subterranean world of the department. Rachel snorted and looked back to see Hermione's stack of books leaning. She grabbed the upper half before it fell.

"You know you're the first woman he has hit on since that cow, Bell" Rachel said. Hermione couldn't help but blush, he was cute after all, he _did_ hit on her and it _did_ please her knowing that someone found her cute.

"As I said, you _already_ had eye sex, you two might as well go on a date…Oh we should-" Charlie commented as Rachel cut her off, "-set you too up! It'll be great!". Hermione frowned at the two women and turned their offer of being conniving rats.

"He needs a date to this office ball" Rachel suggested eagerly.

"My mother _did_ suggest you to go with him" Charlie said.

"No and No" Hermione finally said before stalking deeper into the department with the other two following her making suggestions of how they'll get the two of them, Oliver and Hermione together.

AN:

take-home take home exam: to explain, it's a sorry way of making students write an essay worthy exam. In my major, take home exams are popular. Apparently normal exams make crappy exam-essays due to time restraints and regurgitation of worthless quotes from books.

Thanks for reading dont hesitate to leave a mark!


	8. Chapter 8

AN:

Thank you for reviewing, ebbe04, diana in texas and ginsensu!

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Chapter 8: 

Thursday: Library

Oliver shuddered at the thought of his recent awkward _placement_. It was just months ago that he had to teach at a local all-girl-highschool where most girls were having little crushes on him, giggling whenever he walked into the classroom, blushing. It was awkward. Liam's term for it was "Jail bait!" and reasoned why he took the all-boys-highschool placement instead. _"Thank god that's over"_ was his only sentiment once he had done the required hours for the work placement and made a mental note to snag the boys school for next year's round of placements.

His thoughts however drifted to none other than Hermione Granger. Something about her piqued his interest. Maybe it was they were briefly acquainted from his years in Hogwarts. Maybe it was because she had an allure about her. Maybe it was because she had grown into her teeth that when she smirked it was a cute sight, a grown up cute not the kiddy kind.

Such thoughts raced through his mind that even his study group had noticed his blank stare into the light-well of the library. Secretly he wanted her to walk up those stairs so somehow he could get her attention and make her know he was interested. Maybe he wanted her to walk up those stairs and pop by the table he was at and say hi to him and only him.

"Wood-" said someone.

Now there, he thought, was a name many ladies in England wanted to get into bed with. Maybe she would if he only did something about his little boy crush on her. Not that he would admit it, but he _was_ being little boy-ish about this whole thing.

"WOOD!" screamed someone and this caught Oliver's thought. It was a shrill scream that was very much a crime in any library. Looking to his side he found a Charlie Wellington standing before him.

"Why hello, came here to tell us anything _important_ Charlie?" Oliver asked as he played aloof to her disconcerting smile. Charlie's smiled faltered as Oliver smiled sweetly at her. He had been dropping hints earlier the week that it irked Charlie in a way that he usually destroyed her perfectly chirp day with the daily "tell him" taunts.

"Well of course!" Charlie said cheerily as she took the empty seats beside Liam. She leaned in and gave Liam a peck on the cheeks before looking back at Oliver with her most innocent smile. But Oliver knew something was up.

"Liam and I are going to my family's house on the Islands for the weekend. It's my birthday you see, and we thought maybe a weekend in the city would be nice. I'm inviting you to keep Liam company" Charlie said. Liam then made a comment about pulling the wool over her mother's eyes which earned him a good whack on the shoulder by the petite girlfriend.

"And why should I put myself in the company of a couple who'd probably suck face all weekend? What am I suppose to do?" Oliver stated. He looked at Charlie and Liam who looked bit hopeful at him.

"It wont be just Liam and I, my parents would be there too. I'm merely inviting you so that you can fend my mother off of Liam over here and keep my cousin company. You see she's too shy to talk to you, hopeless really" Charlie spoke, but Oliver's mouth already dropping open.

"You two are making fun of me!" he exclaimed as he watching identical smiles appear on the couple's faces. "She doesn't even think of me-"

"Oh dear me, I swear when I _read_ her mind a few days ago as the two of you chatted, she _was_ not imagining pushing you up the wall at all!" Charlie said. Oliver looked seriously at her and was about to say that use of legimencia was prohibited and had a fine in the continent of North America.

"It will be fun! plus I hear you and Hermione used to be school mates" Liam said, but Oliver knew that was as far as Liam knew. Liam was still in the dark about Charlie's double life as a witch.

"Hefty price" Oliver started. He watched the couple look at him with awe. Just then someone walked up to their table and slammed a stack of books on the table.

"There you are, you left me with all the goddamned books!" Hermione exclaimed as she were hushed by a student librarian doing the book rounds on the top landing.

"We were just inviting Oliver for the weekend, he said it would cost us" Liam said cheekily as Oliver's face turned sour. 'Nice going' he thought as he glared at Liam. Looking up he saw Hermione look almost hurt at the thought of him asking for a price just to accompany her.

"Its okay, I'm trying to get myself out of it as well. But unlike you I'm bound by blood" she explained as she swept her curly hair into a messy bun that made Oliver imagine what she would look like if she just came out of the tub.

"_Funny what guys think_" Charlie chimed just as Oliver was imagining Hermione rising from the sud-filled olden style tub but stopped as her back rose from the sides of the tub. Looking at Charlie he gave her a good glare before he was cut off.

"That's Illegal Charlie" Hermione commented while giving Charlie a good kick under the table. Oliver caught himself burn up at the thought that Charlie was reading his thoughts.

"Come on man, I don't think Hermione would mind you doing this for free. Charlie's mom does not really like me so she wants a reason to room me with a guy. Or even worse not even allow to be there at all!" Liam pleaded as he hugged Charlie. They were making puppy faces at Oliver that he thought, he could milk them for this but with Hermione beside him, it was not advisable at all.

"I'm not putting mileage on my car" Oliver finally said. Charlie clapped her hands excitedly as Liam smiled. Hermione made a huffing sound, she was _perfectly_ fine going_ alone_ there. She could sit at her favorite spot in the sun room and read under the winter's gloomy sky!

"I'm sending my car to the shop. So whose car?" Hermione said. Liam and Charlie told them to not worry about it, "everything is taken care of! All you need to bring are your _brooms_!" Charlie slipped but acted as if she didn't.

"Wait what about my sister?" Oliver said. "I can't leave her-" he started as he tried to take another shot at not getting sucked into the weekend. He could also say he had work but he already told Hermione a day ago that he was taking the weekend off for a much needed rest away from his boss.

"I already talked to your sister; she says she's cool with staying with her classmate for the weekend. Something about practicing for the school team" Liam said. Oliver groaned he was going to strangle Rachel when he got home.

"F-Fine. Better have firewhiskey lass, or else I'm leaving for the Alley" Oliver finally said. Charlie nodded as she excitedly smiled. Liam however took a good time to look at Oliver oddly after mentioning Firewhiskey and Alley.

That Friday afternoon, Hermione could not believe it, Charlie effing Wellington was playing matchmaker along with Liam effing Grant. She already had enough problems with her mother, who called that morning, with her Aunt Athena and now her cousin as well. Not to mention Rachel Wood who had taken up the hobby of "get Oliver to the coffee shop" lately.

The fact that _his _ sister even had suggested that she, Hermione Granger, would be set up with _him._ It was a foreign concept in her head at least. She was Hermione after all. No one took notice of her in grade school; it was deemed that she'd be a hopeless case when in second grade she got a total of two hearts during their Valentines Day heart trade off. One heart came from her desk buddy while the other came from the teacher. Everyone else got more than four but she only got one technically. That did not stop until later on at Hogwarts. Ron even thought of her a boy until she told him off during the Yule Ball. So the thought that he even made a pass on her was quite alien idea.

Hermione had been dreading the day Charlie and Liam stopped bickering, she always somehow knew that when that happened she would get cajoled into doing something like wearing the worst possible maid's of honor dress. But instead she found herself in her cousin's living room waiting for a ride to the city.

"You know you wanna" chided Charlie but Hermione knew that it would be impossible to find something to talk about while they waited at Charlie's apartment for the guys to come over.

"N-No!" Hermione cried out and gave her cousin a good glare which silenced Charlie. "Did you tell him about your _talents_ yet?"

"I suppose I have to now" Charlie happily said. Hermione sighed, she was just imagining it all now, Liam Grant walking into the Wellington house in the Islands and gaping at what he'll see. She wondered when Charlie would tell him that tidbit about of the witchly life.

Not long after, just as 5pm clicked, the guys arrived and there was a frenzy over their bags and fitting it at the trunk of Liam's car. Hermione only packed one bag, she only needed a few clothes after all. The bag was mostly weighed down with two of her school books she decided to bring.

"You alright there Hermione?" asked Liam in his more conniving evil voice. She always knew that Liam, even though was comparably quieter than Charlie, had an evil side to him like bunnies which the whole world thinks are cute but are truly evil. She also wondered why Liam had a twang, when he grew up in the suburbs of the city all of his life.

"No, I'm great thank you Liam…for caring" Hermione said with more enthusiasm than a snail trying to move spots.

Hermione strapped myself down at the back seat and watched as Oliver shoot for shotgun. Charlie didn't say anything and sat on the back seat with Hermione. For most the first hour or so of the ride, conversation was stark between the two sexes as Liam and Oliver went on a discussion about they assignments while Charlie and Hermione were discussing the new gossip about their professor getting sacked.

"Hey what's this Island thing?" Oliver asked eventually, as they reached the Toronto district in the highway.

"It's those islands in the middle of Lake Ontario, Charlie's parents used to live there up until she was 5 when they got a house in the city." Liam explained.

"Now we just use it as a vacation house, its still in the city but like, not in the city at the same time. We'll have to ditch the car at the docks and take the ferry in" Charlie said. Oliver looked back and nodded, his eyes however shifted to a very silent Hermione who looked like she was falling asleep.

"Okay there lass?" Oliver asked. Hermione jerked awake and smiled meekly, she never did like sitting at the back.

"Have some gum" Oliver said as he handed her a packet of droobles. Hermione smiled warmly, she hadn't had droobles in a while but soon thought that if Liam saw it he'd ask a lot of questions. But Hermione also knew that Charlie was telling him about that little detail that coming weekend.

"Better not be trick ones" Hermione muttered as she took out a gum ball. Oliver looked at her as she cautiously chewed the gum and she finally decided it was not a trick gum she smiled at Oliver who gave her an equally pleasing smirk.

"Cutting in the eye sex here…but I think we're nearing the docks" Charlie said cheekily. Oliver looked out and watched as Liam drove in the maze of downtown Toronto into the edge where he could almost see the body of water. A few minutes after they were parked at a parking area within the docks.

After a chilly 15 minute wait, as they were lucky of arriving there just when the ferry had come back, they were on the equally chilly ferry to one of the residential islands of the cluster. The ferry was a bit empty at this point and Charlie had to explain that it was not peak season for people ferrying into the islands.

Oliver had walked in on Hermione at a secluded corner whispering what looked like a heating charm. He startled her when he snuck up behind her.

"Mind sharing the heat there?" Oliver asked. Hermione just smirked and waved her wand casting the same charm on his coat.

"Better?" Hermione asked. Oliver nodded shyly as she grinned at her.

"Kind of reminds me of Island of Wight back in England" Oliver stated as the ferry stopped at Ward's Island to let out commuters on it.

"It's a lovely place, quite earth friendly. Mind you most of the people living in Algonquin Island are wizards and witches, there's a pitch up here I believe. They've lived here since before the island was even open to the muggle public in 1994. The ministry here had made an agreement with the Government you see makes life easier for both parties" Hermione said.

Oliver then asked her if there really was a pitch in the Islands. Hermione merely smirked as she said "Don't worry, the Wellington house has brooms in their shed. Charlie never uses her now a day so my Aunt Athena stocked it all up at the island house"

Oliver looked at Hermione, did she just say Athena Wellington? But before he could question her, the ferry had docked and the sound system boomed "Algonquin Island". He watched her smile at him before leading him down to the ports.

AN:

Placement- or work placement. two of my friends are in education/teaching. I modelled Oliver's and Liam's student life after them. They have a work placement once a week with a school of their choice, same school for semesters at a time. Another friend told me a funny story which I had to use in this chapter.

anyhowhow!

thanks for reading dont hesitate to leave a mark.


	9. Chapter 9

AN:

Thank you for reviewing guys! and a comment on DH...why did she kill that particularly weasley? he was my fave!

Chapter 9

It was a long walk, in Oliver mind, but it was alright the cold did not bother him as much. Hermione's charm work seemed to have lasted for a quite a bit. While walking he chatted along with Hermione who was more than willing to walk faster than the couple. Down winding roads, they finally stopped in front of a quaint Victorian style house. He looked around to find that indeed one would notice the strong reminder of a Wizarding town in the island.

"Well, welcome to the Wellington House" Charlie finally said as they stood on the almost picturesque bridle path style leading to the house proper. "My father inherited it you see, from his great Uncle"

"There are reasons Uncle Edwin was the one who inherited it" Hermione added as they walked down the path. When the couple was out of hearing range she then added, "My Uncle Edwin was the first Wizard after two generations of Squibs"

"So technically you're not muggle born" Oliver commented. "Technically, but I consider myself as one" Hermione ended.

Charlie knocked twice and opened the door leading the other three into the house. As Oliver expected, it was a charmed house and by the look on Liam's face he knew that he and Hermione better scoot so that Charlie could explain it all finally.

"How they…what the" Liam stuttered as he looked around the house. "But its so small outside" he said gaping at the moving portraits on the wall. It was only recently Edwin added one of his family's which included Hermione's mother who sat still only blinking once or twice.

"I've got something's to tell you Liam" Charlie started, and almost in cue a petite woman immerged from the top of the winding stairs. Her hair was pinned up in a way that she could possibly have been hiding a nest in her hair. Her eyes were dark and were sharply watching Liam as he gaped at the house.

"You're the daughter of Madam Wellington!" exclaimed Oliver as he made a face of almost pain. Hermione bit her laughter.

"And I thought you were bringing a _muggle_ friend!" exclaimed Athena as she walked down the stairs demurely. "Well hello Oliver, fancy seeing you at my door step"

"I didn't mean to end up at your doorstep Madam," Oliver politely said. He could just see it, Athena Wellington trying to set him up with more women. What a nightmare. He watched her smirk at him and suddenly frowned when she saw Liam.

"Liam, nice of you to come" she said to Liam who was still in shock. "And Hermione dearest, I thought you said you weren't coming? Dare I say Wood over here changed your mind? He's a handsome boy isn't he?"

Hermione snorted as she walked in to give her aunt a kiss on the cheek. "I don't know... Charlie finally revealing herself. I thought it would be a good show, mind you I think they need to talk right now" she said to both Athena and Oliver.

With a clap a house elf dressed in blue robes appeared out of nowhere and startled the already shocked Liam. "Young Mistress Hermione, Young Mistress Charlotte, welcome home." The female house elf said as she picked up the luggage on the floor.

"Mistress, where will be the guests sleeping?" it asked with very English lofty voice. Oliver found it slightly bit amusing, it kind of reminded him of his father's old elf.

"Set them up in the burgundy room on the east wing Poppy" Athena said to the house elf that nodded and disappeared in a crack.

"Ah I must say how about we take tea in the upstairs lounge as Charlie sorts out Liam?" the old woman suggested to Hermione and Oliver who had been watching Charlie try to explain to Liam.

"I think that's for the best Madam, Liam, we'll be upstairs okay?" Oliver said as she patted Liam's back.

"Y-You know about" Liam started.

"I am one, forgot to tell you that mate. Listen to yer girlfriend she'll explain it all" Oliver said as he walked away with Athena and Hermione. Before Hermione entered the upper landing she looked down to see Charlie explaining to a calmer Liam.

"Hope he'll be fine with all of this" Hermione commented as Oliver stopped behind her to peer down.

"He loves her, this wont matter, and some one should have told me I was stepping into Athena Wellington's house. If Whitmore appears someone please just hang me" Oliver said.

"How do you know that old pig?" Hermione asked.

"My boss" Oliver said.

An hour later Charlie and Liam made an appearance at the upper lounge just was Poppy the elf was cleaning up after the tea.

"Do Young Mistress and Mr. Grant want some tea?" asked the elf as she stopped in front of Charlie and Liam. Liam made a jump, but Hermione thought that it could be just he had to get used to the idea still.

"Maybe some water for Liam, thanks Poppy" Charlie finally said. The elf bowed slightly and padded out of the room closing the door behind her when she left. Hermione watched as the two took a seat and as her Aunt Athena eyed Liam. She however did not detect any feeling of resentment from the woman.

"How are you dealing with this tidbit Liam?" Athena asked. Liam looked up and nodded, he still looked pale from the shock. His usually vibrant blue eyes turned almost dull and peaky if that were even possible.

"Ah give the lad a few more hours to absorb it all in Madam Wellington, he'll eventually get used to it" Oliver said.

"I would have thought Charlotte would have already told him! Much more you but I guess I was wrong of my daughter" Athena loftily said as she checked her watch. In timing loud ringing flooded the quiet house as the grandfather clock on the downstairs study rung 7 times.

In a pop, Edwin Wellington arrived in the foyer and headed up to the lounge. Opening the door he broke into a smile as he greeted his wife then his daughter and then his niece.

"Its nice to see that you took our offer Liam, I hope this did not shock you at all?" Edwin said as he shook Liam's pale hand.

"I-it was a bit of shock sir" Liam admitted, Edwin laughed out as he patted Liam on the back.

"And how might this be?" Edwin asked as he looked at Oliver who was sitting beside Hermione. "Your boyfriend I take it... Mia dear?"

"N-No!" Hermione stuttered as she turned absolutely red from the blood rushing in her cheeks. She looked over to Oliver who was sitting properly and blinking blankly at Edwin. Well in her head she wanted him to be her boy...why was she even thinking that! "Quaffles..he'll call you quaffles" she said in her head. She looked over to Oliver who shifted uneasliy on his seat.

It was a week ago that it dawned on Edwin that the Oliver Athena was talking about was the same one from a quidditch team. He looked slightly bit elated meeting a former quidditch player, from his favorite team at that. Sadly, Edwin had stopped watching quidditch once he moved to Canada, it was just not covered there.

"Oliver Wood sir, I'm Liam's friend and-" Oliver started but Edwin cut him off. "Oliver Wood! Why I didn't know we were receiving a celebrity this weekend. I say we must go to the pitch later on!"

Oliver looked around and found that Hermione was biting her laughter down, Athena looked pleased for some reason, Charlie was looking equally amused while Liam watched on the situation unravel quite blankly!

"The famous Wood of puddlemere!" Edwin said, Oliver objected of course saying that he did not have a broom with him. "None sense, I don't think Charlie would mind lending you one of her old brooms! You see we bought her a nimbus years back then a few years later one of her aunts from Athena's side gave her a two thousand two. I think Liam would find this quite interesting!"

"I think it will be an event! Wood you really must" Athena pushed, "As well you two" she said pointing at Hermione and Charlie with her gaze.

This was when the elf came into the room again and announced that dinner was ready. Least to say dinner was normal, Liam sat at the table as if he were a first year at hogwarts during his first ever feast when the food appeared out of no where. Hermione had a field day trying to explain little things to him as Charlie could not help but let ot a giggle or even full out laughter to one of his questions like "how do you get elves? Is that portrait watching me?"

Little did hermione know, Athena was brewing something for her. Well Hermione had an idea,...but she rather not think about it.

AN:

Thanks for reviewing. No update next week weds aug 1st.

I'll try to get it in by sunday if not, expect a long update on 8th of August.


	10. Chapter 10

AN:

Thanks for reviewing guys.

------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 10:

"Don't forget to meet your father at the pitch around two okay!" shouted someone from the top floor. Oliver cringed and suddenly felt sympathy for Charlie. He didn't have to endure that pushy voice all of his days, Charlie however could not run away from it as she was bound by blood.

"Yes mother!" Charlie shouted back while the Poppy the house elf look at her in disdain.

"What is it?" she asked the elf. The elf scrunched up her nose and explained that it was not proper to shout at Athena; after all she was still Charlie's mother, reasoned the elf. Charlie however snorted and reasoned that "Do you really want me to go up those stairs with my outside shoes?"

Charlie watched as the elf shake it's head in defeat. "The young mistresses should also know to avoid the diner on Bridgeworth Street. It is infested by rats says the Framer's elf!"

"Thank you Poppy," Charlie finally said as she followed the others out of the house.

Outside Hermione looked back at Charlie with a puzzled expression. Charlie had asked Hermione what was wrong. "Did you tell Poppy to meet us with the brooms at the pitch later?"

Charlie sighed and popped into the house again, it would have been a fast conversation if not Athena's voice cutting in every so often. Hermione tip toed to the open door and found that her aunt was walking down the stairs.

"She's a piece of work" Oliver grimly commented as the three stood in the cold waiting for Charlie to come back. Hermione bit her laughter and nodded. What? Athena was a piece of work!

"At least she isn't hating Liam as much as she did a few months ago" Hermione commented looking at Liam who was shivering and watched as Oliver cast a heating spell on not only Liam and himself but her as well.

"Now we're even" Oliver said. Hermione smiled at him. Just then Charlie walked out of the house huffing. "Let's go" she muttered as she walked towards Liam.

After walking for a bit they reached Regentire Street. Oliver thought that it looked much like Hogsmeade. Looking around he instantly found a store called Quod Quid, he made a mental note to stop by later

"How's about we have lunch at Baxter's" Hermione suggested as she pointed at a cozy looking pub nearly at the end of the street. "Oh but we haven't gone into the Contessa in a while!"

"Contessa is a tea place Charlie!" Hermione reasoned. Charlie then piped up that there were sandwiches sold there.

"But I don't think that would be sufficient for those two" Hermione said as she pointed at Liam and Oliver who had been standing at the window of Quod Quid. She smiled as she watched Oliver explain to Liam how it was humanly possible to float on a broom.

Charlie called after them and said "Meet us at Baxter's, its at the end of this side of the street".

The two merely nodded and headed into the store as Hermione went on and followed Charlie into the robes' shop called "Callista's Wizarding wears"

----------------------------------------

Stepping into the store Oliver led Liam to the farthest section where it was the quidditch section of the store. He immediately started to try on a pair of gloves but soon tossed it back into it's pile and looked for something bigger.

"What's this for?" Liam asked as he picked up the gloves Oliver's tossed over.

"These are equipment like how you have so many things underneath your hockey jersey" Oliver said as he proceeded looking at shoulder guards on the opposite pile. Oliver got used to the idea that Quidditch was a second class sport in North America.

"So, you used to play this game?" Liam curious asked as he picked up a magazine with a moving picture for its front page, one of the red headed woman in a midriff and trousers , that laid low on her hips, as she rode a broom with words appearing "_The Harpies picked up a red hot Weasley_!"

"Yes," Oliver answered as he led Liam towards the till. Liam had a lot of questions and the owner was still juggling two customers at the front of the store.

"Did you play professional?" Liam asked but it was the owner who answered. "Yes he did, It's good to meet you again Wood!"

Oliver smiled widely as he shook the owner's hand. "Well Flint, I didn't even recognize you!"

The owner smiled widely and pointed at his teeth. "Millie had forced on muggle braces on my teeth! She also waxed my eye brows. Goddamned women. But at least I don't look like a troll anymore!"

"Oh sorry, Marcus Flint, this is my friend Liam, Liam this is my old arch enemy in the field, Flint" Oliver said as he introduced Liam, "Though it was all for show for most part"

"Blimey Wood, I always knew you were fruity!" Flint laughed Oliver reached over the counter and slapped his shoulder. Sensing that Oliver looked infuriated Flint hastily added, "Wood I was kidding! News is you two are staying at the Wellingtons!"

Oliver nodded and laughed as he cracked a joke about Liam being Athena's target for her look of disdain. Flint looked at Liam and asked why, of course once it was explained that Liam was the boyfriend of Athena's daughter Flint roared in laughter and wished him luck.

"I thought you were managing the Sweetwater Stars! What are you doing in a shop?" Oliver commented. "Course I am, I'm on paternal leave however. I'm helping my wife out" Flint said and just then a woman walked from the side door carrying a well wrapped baby.

"Millie, you remember Wood?" Flint said as he went over and took the bundle from the blonde woman. She smiled at Oliver and then to Liam before placing a stack of parchments on the counter. They watched as Flint walked from behind the counter holding the fidgeting baby smiling widely, as any parent would.

Peering in, as Flint leaned out to show the baby, Oliver found a pinked face blonde baby wearing blue nappies. "This, my friend, is my son Anthony" Flint said proudly. Oliver smiled and thought; maybe someday soon he'd be a proud parent too.

Oddly enough he saw himself on a broom at his father's estate in Ireland, carrying a two year old excited brunette toddler with him while a woman, whose image was fuzzy, yelling at him to get down or else he was on the sofa. This thought however was stopped when the woman's face focused and saw a very infuriated face of no one else but Hermione Granger as the supposed wife.

Why was he fancying Hermione all of the sudden? Could it be because she saw him in her pajamas that morning? Her bare shoulder shivering every so often until Poppy the elf popped in with a sweater for her.

"Aint he cute?" Flint gushed. "He'd kick your offspring's bottom in the field anytime Wood"

Flint's wife then interjected and said that the two shouldn't bet on their off springs yet as Oliver didn't have any which only caused much teasing from Flint and now Liam who says that Oliver's too picky. The conversation went on as Oliver finally paid for the equipment he bought. In the end Oliver had invited Flint to the pitch later. "You sure you want me there Wood I could kick you bottom still!"

"Unlikely Flint, see you later!" Oliver laughed.

Baxter's wasn't far off down the street and the two guys got to the restaurant only to find that the two ladies had already ordered a platter of appetizers. Walking nearer to the two Oliver then only noticed that Hermione had two shopping bags by her feet while Charlie had another two.

"I don't understand you girls and shoppi-" Liam commented as he took the seat beside Charlie who crammed a chip into his mouth.

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Athena sat silently in her study looking over the parchments she got from work while a black hawk like bird was perched at the edge of the desk watching every move she made. It clucked it's beak and hopped off of the desk before hopping back on with a roll clasped onto it's beak.

"Thank you Judas. Poppy!" Athena said and a faint pop came from the corner of her office where a house elf was struggling holding three brooms together.

"Yes Mistress?" the elf asked after finally clutching the three brooms properly. Athena commented that it was nearly two in the afternoon. "Yes mistress, Master flooed and said he was already at the pitch with the guests and the young mistresses"

"Well off you go then," Athena finally said as the elf bowed and disappeared in a pop. The black bird clucked it's beak at Athena, looking up from her work she looked back at bird saying "Yes Judas, I will go there in a bit…but first! Drop this off at the ministry at the internal mail center."

Athena found it quite annoying that any in bound external parchment had to be processed through the internal mail center. She could only blame a man named Percy Weasley for that, it was implemented in most ministries apparently for safety of ministry workers.

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"I wonder where that elf is" Edwin said to himself as he looked over the snow covered pitch. He watched as Oliver joked with Liam at the edge of the stands while the other boy hopped a few inched away from the edge. His daughter and niece were sitting not too far with a man he knew was owner of the sports shop in town.

The air was crisp and cold but it didn't bother Edwin at all nor did it bother anyone else. He had a feeling that all of the _kids_ had a heating charm on their clothes. His thoughts were interrupted by a pop and an elf wheezing out, "Your brooms master".

Hermione hopped off of her seat and took hold of two brooms taking the load off of the obviously frazzled elf. The elf smiled warmly at her before handing the last broom to Charlie.

"Well then, who is playing!" Charlie said as she hovered her broom by her hand. Liam watched it hover in interest even as to poke at it. Hermione piped up "I'm not!"

"That's four, two on two," Oliver said as he took the remained broom from Hermione since Edwin took one already. "What do you say Charlie? We can kick their asses" Edwin laughed as he hugged his daughter.

"Well I guess I'm with you Wood" Flint said. Oliver smiled as he finally mounted the broom. Finally, he soared up into the air feeling as if he was just freed from something he couldn't explain. Flying was something he always loved doing, it was his sport and was the source of his lively hood for years.

"Best in an hour, no snitches, just plain old hoops and quaffle" Charlie shouted as the four flew up. The game started as Poppy, who had stuck around to take a break, Hermione and Liam, who looked quite excited yet bewildered, watched on.

"Can you fly a broom?" Liam asked just when Oliver deflected one of Charlie's shots. Hermione nodded and said "It's not really my thing. During the war I had to use a broom to travel undetected-"

"War?" Liam interjected forgetting about the game all of the sudden.

"Yes a war, it lasted for a few years-" Hermione started but was cut off by Athena who had arrived. "And our Hermione over here was part of the Trio that ended it. She went against a wizard you could compare to Hitler but even worse and she was merely 18 at that point of her life"

"Wow I didn't know Hermione" Liam said surprised but looked up after when Athena shouted "BE CAREFUL!" while Charlie went to a steep 10 foot dive to retrieve the fallen red ball.

Liam peered over and looked horror struck as Charlie dived lower ending only near the pitch grounds. "And this is why I don't like dating Quidditch players" Hermione loftily added.

"Oliver doesn't play professional anymore Mia dear" Athena added which caused Liam to laugh. Hermione whacked his back and told him to shut up.

"This I can tell you Hermione, my friend over there was rolling around the floor embarrassed for a good hour because of you" Liam said happily. "You two should go out"

"N-No!" Hermione stuttered before looking up to find that Olive was smiling down at her. Her face burned red and she could feel that both Athena and Liam were looking amused at her, hell even Poppy looked amused at her.

"Tall, medium built, dark hair, dark eyes, cute smile, adorable….." Athena listed out and even Liam started joining in adding things like "does not snore, likes cats….".

All Hermione could do was bury her face in her mittens and let them at it, at least they were saying it out loud in front of her face not behind her back.

"You know Liam, I judged you too quickly, I think you are a nice boy for my Charlotte" Athena said. Liam's face broke into a smirk, looking quite pleased with himself. Who knew the way to Athena's good side was being cruelly humorous?

--

AN:

thanks for reading.


	11. Chapter 11

AN:

Thanks for reviewing.

Sorry cant update alot

being pulled from every direction. god 3rd..i mean..2nd /3rd year sucks...

Short update. Next update would be around christmas time and it would be a longer one.

Chapter 11:

"That would be 5.63$" Handing a 5$ bill and exact change Hermione walked with a bagel and tea to the "labyrinth", or as most of anthropology majors called their little cave. How can't they have gotten a department somewhere on land rather than pretend to be moles during a black out even when there is sun out?

Didn't matter now, all she remembered was the weekend. Oliver seemed to be that perfect gentleman she had been searching for. That and he didn't even once tried to get into her pants, though she remotely thinks it was because they were at her uncle's house, even when they fell asleep together on the sofa while watching Soprano's. The word she used in her head was "Divine" as if it were some kind of cream cheese commercial, though thoroughly wrong use of the term. That and a kiss occured one she hadnt even told Charlie who'd been bugging her since they got back to school that monday.

"Well you look very bubbly today Hermione" asked someone. Hermione quickly turned around to see Christian, a.k.a Chris, her T.A. She noted he looked a bit more dressed up than usual.

"Looking fancy today Chris, date with the department heads?" Hermione replied cheekily and Chris didn't seem to mind it as he smiled her while he combed through his wind tousled surfer hair.

"Do I remotely look like a T.A at least?" he asked her. Hermione looked at him and nodded. Classic crisp button down shirt, and darker jeans than usual, he looked alright, but maybe while she undressed him.

"Fifteen" Chris said as he clicked on something hidden in the palm of his hand.

"Excuse me?" Hermione asked as she pulled her mind out of the bad place it had been while she was given the chance to check Chris out. She blushed immensely as Chris just smiled at her.

"Fifteen with in the hour, I should dress like this more often" Chris said happily as he pulled out a tie from his back pocket and started to tie around his neck. Hermione looked at him abashed as he asked if he looked okay with the tie.

"No" Hermione teased him. Chris just shook his head and smiled broadly at her.

"That's what I like about you Hermione, you never are that fazed for too long" Chris said before walking away into the department office. Hermione tried to shake it off but no sooner when a familiar brunette came bounding down the usually deserted hall. He whispered "Hide me" as Hermione looked at him bewilderedly.

"wh-what?" Hermione spoke up but lowered her voice when Oliver motioned for her to. "Rachel" he mouthed then looked back and added "Charlotte".

Hermione nodded and listened on, she did hear Charlie down the hall. Thinking fast she opened the resource area closet and shoved Oliver into the closet telling him to not break anything.

Oliver slipped into the closet and fumbled with what felt like a skull of a primate and had a sudden wave of nostalgia of how it felt to hide in Snape's cupboard after Percy had suggested they 'borrow', a term Percy liked to use to justify his mischief, some lace wings for the polyjuice potion.

"Did you see Oliver?" Charlie asked. Hermione shook her head and asked why they were going on a witch hunt.

"We need to talk" Rachel said happily as she eyed Hermione. Hermione looked at the younger girl questioningly. "He came home too happy. It was like he got laid" reasoned Rachel while Oliver hit his head with the primate skull in his hand but stopped when Hermione coughed really loudly.

"Did he now? I wouldn't know" Hermione said happily. Maybe she did make an impact on him.

"Did anything happen?" Charlie pressed Hermione and Hermione could only shake her head. Nothing did happen, except maybe a kiss, but it was when they were both barely awake a few hours after the movie ended.

"Liar" Charlie sniffed as she started to walk away along with Charlie who was saying something about going back for period 5. Hermione waited until she was sure both women were out of the labyrinth before letting Oliver out.

"Nothing happened?" Oliver mused while he toyed with the primate skull. Hermione snatched the skull and stuck it back into the closet before dragging Oliver into the department resource area not too far down the hall.

"I think something did" Oliver commented as he sat down on the rickety table while Hermione shut the door close. Hermione frowned at him and said, "We kissed….okay? But do you want me to announce to the two vultures?"

Oliver looked at her happily as she said this, "So it wasn't a dream after all Granger",

"It was probably a mistake anyhow" Hermione commented as she sat down beside him moving some of the strewn reprotexts to the side. Oliver looked over at her and reached out to hold her hand. Hermione looked up and smiled.

"Never a mistake, never regretted and we should go for dinner tonight" Oliver said as Hermione smiled at him and leaned in placing a kiss on his cheek. "That would be nice Oliver" she said. Oliver smiled broadly at her and pulled her into a proper kiss neither one noticed the two faces pressed on the glass pane of the door.

"Told ya" Rachel snickered as Charlie surprised.

"You two should stop snooping, if the two hooks up they'll hook up" Liam said making the two women jump. The other two in the room remained oblivious to the people on the other side of the door.

AN:

Told ya it was short.


	12. Chapter 12

AN:

Thank you for reviewing guys. Here's a short update. Wish me luck I got exams! EWWWWWW

I dont own that excerpted song at the bottom. howeverI do own the other poem near the end.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Look but don't touch" Al Pacino said in the t.v.

Hermione's wandering mind got pulled back into reality and here was watching Devil's Advocate as a part of her paper, how society portrays good and evil, whether or not it is holistic or individualistic.

"Touch, but don't taste" Hermione bitterly chimed after Al Pacino, "Taste, but don't swallow"

She honestly thought that Oliver was doing exactly what the Lucifer-Al pacino was saying. He looked but he didn't touch, but when he touched he held back and now he tasted he cant bare to swallow. Hermione honestly wanted to get it done with a simple rejection would do well. She hated to be left hanging.

The talked of dinner, didn't happen. He just disappeared. Liam tried to cover for him, but she knew…what did she know? She didn't even Oliver all that well! One night! A few kisses…that was all!

Did it really matter if Oliver liked her or not? Does it really matter? He after all did not seek her out after that afternoon in the resource room. That was it wasn't it? Oliver tasted her and he found her bitter and threw her into the reject pile.

'Boys are stupid' Hermione screamed at no one in particular, 'Very stupid that they should just drop effing dead!'

"I don't think that's a nice thing to say" Charlie said as she walked into the living room with a bowl of popcorn. "Oliver is stupid-"

"Bite me, its easy that Liam willingly cut his balls out and pickled them for you" Hermione sniffled. It was upsetting! Here she though that maybe Charlie, who thought of the _great_ idea of setting her up with Oliver, had stated that she '_clean my hands of this predicament_'.

Hermione bitterly thought of how annoyingly couple-y Liam and Charlie were weeks after the weekend when clearly all the bullshit Oliver fed her turned out to be the worst kind of bullshit out there!

"Oh don't be bitter" Charlie laughed. It wasn't like she could tell Hermione that Liam forbade her to mix the pot even more. If things were going to happen with Oliver and Hermione, then it would happen…_in theory_ that is. But Oliver had suddenly gone into stupid-about-girls-mode that it honestly did make her feel unsettled. It didn't help either that Hermione herself was hiding, though Charlie knew her cousin would never admit to it.

"Whatever" Hermione sighed as she went on to watch the movie, maybe she was hiding. Why was she hiding in the first place? Could it be that she was scared? The last time she ever liked a guy this much, he ended up breaking her heart. Maybe she was just scarred.

----

"Just go to her house, say Hi with flowers" Liam said. Oliver coughed out the remnants of the burger he wolfed down minutes before. "If your balls are hiding so much…I mean, you must really like her then!"

Oliver looked at Liam seriously and glared. "Well _in theory_-" Liam added quickly as he saw Oliver's anger seeping out.

"I like her very much, but I don't think it would work out" Oliver said. He just thought he and her couldn't ever work it out. he tried to bump into her, but she was always the sporadic one, very much unlike the Hermione Granger he knew of at Hogwarts. The whole library theory had been thrown into the can.

"She's always at the library" Liam said in between his fries shovelling. Oliver shrugged and argued that Hermione was hiding from him. Liam asked, "No, why would she?"

"Because I'm me" Oliver finally said trying to figure how Hermione Granger ticked. Katie Bell was easy to figure out. Heck that girl he dated from the Harpies was also easy to read. Hermione Granger however was no quidditch girl; she was a book worm, something he hadn't really ventured into…yet.

---------------------

Hermione huffed in annoyance. She hated waiting she really did. She hated having to wait but she had no choice.

"Here read this" Charlie said as she shoved a small notebook into Hermione's hands. Hermione looked at her cousin but then read the page being pointed at. The notebook was old and worn out, Hermione knew all to well that the notebook was loved at some point… She could tell it was a girl who wrote it, the slender slanted writing. Too tiny or meticulous even for the finest gentleman to attempt. .

I can't write the ending,

I'm not ready to face you yet.

I'm not ready to settle for anything

I'm not ready to accept the end already met.

Help me decide.

Help me face your ending

Cuz it's too complicated to write

It's even too complicated to scribble.

I want to, but I can't

I'm struggling with myself.

The ending you wrote will not suffice,

No I can't accept that, Its unfair and one sided

Let it be spring,

Allow me a fresh beginning

and a brand new ending?

–c.y.c

"Who wrote that?" Hermione asked as she flipped through the notebook filled with scribbled poems.

"My old room mate" Charlie said as she flopped stood by the door to the kitchen, "She gave me that book when she left..."

Hermione stopped reading an angst poem of lost souls, looking up she asked her cousin, "To where?"

"To where her heart lay" Charlie said smiling. Hermione sat there trying to figure out what her cousin was telling her. For a bright young lady Hermione felt dull, what did Charlie mean! When she asked her cousin Charlie merely smiled and walked away humming Feist's Intuition song.

"_What gives? What gets the intuition? I'll know, oh I have to sure …_

_They can tease you, break or complete you…"-Leslie Feist_

AN:

c.y.c: monsterme

Thanks for reading.

Short update. I'll try to get one in before the new years!

Happy holidays guys! 


	13. Chapter 13

AN:

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

my gift to you! I hope you guys enjoy it.

Ch 13:

Oliver racked his brains trying to figure out how to talk to Hermione. Sure he had his moments of cowardly pursuits trying to hide from the girl. But he knew he couldn't forever hide from her that would be _too_ embarrassing. Tapping his quill on the same spot he didn't notice that he had made an inkblot baby on the spot. It kind of looked like a mutated goat for some reason.

"Wood!" greeted Whitmore as he cheerily threw a candy cane on Oliver's desk startling the zoned out young man. Oliver scribbled the goat's horns and jumped when the clank of the seemingly heavy candy cane hit his hearing. "You do have a date for the ball right?"

Oliver looked at his boss in bewilderment. Date? Whitmore had a smirk on his face as if he'd won something. It then hit Oliver. Date for the Ministry Ball a weekend or two away. He was screwed. Oh he knew it so!

"N-n-not yet" Oliver stammered as he silently prayed to the fates that Whitmore was not going to fire him or take his Christmas bonus away. Whitmore instead smiled happily at him. "Good! keep it that way"

"Wh-what?" Oliver asked. Whitmore polished his fingernails as he explained that he had a bet going on with Madam Wellington. Oliver nearly screamed, "BET?"

"Well, now that I have your attention again Wood, yes a _bet._ If you don't show up with someone then I win a nice antique cherry wood desk for my office" Whitmore explained further as he walked to his office. Oliver thought that his boss could've just skipped like a little girl to complete the conniving smile plastered on his boss' already annoying face.

"This could be a big problem" Oliver told himself as he watched the door click shut.

"What could be a big problem?" a woman asked him. Oliver turned around and jumped when he saw Charlie standing by his cubicle holding a basket of jam bottles wrapped in orange cellophane.

"That's illegal Wellington" Oliver snapped as he tried to fix his skrewed ministry tie.

"_Well_, I brought you a gift" Charlie happily said. Oliver looked at the basket of jams and back at Charlie who was shaking her head.

"Not this, this is for that pig inside. Courtesy from mother dearest. That however-" Charlie said as she motioned to Hermione who was not too far along juggling two more baskets, one blue the other yellow.

"Is my gift to you, now don't be a coward and talk to her" she continued before walking towards Whitmore's door. Oliver looked panicked at Charlie's retreating back. He hadn't talked to Hermione in two weeks! Well he had to blame his sister for that too. He promised he would help her club for that quidditch show down. He could also blame his school work.

"Stop making excuses in that pretty little head of yours Wood. You got scared and ran away..." Charlie happily sang mischievously looking at the mistletoe Whitmore nailed to his door arch. Oliver opened his mouth to remind her that it was illegal to use legimencia but stopped when Charlie waved him off even before he could say it aloud.

"Oh for Christ's sake you two are acting like your a pair of twelve year olds!" Charlie exclaimed which made Hermione chirp out annoyance. Forcing a smile, Charlie knocked on Whitmore's door and walked in. Oliver could hear her fake happy greeting to the old man.

Looking around Oliver felt nervous. Here she was, his chance, _this was his chance_! She was too far still and to shout was embarrassing. Raising his hand he waved at her when he knew she was looking at him as nervously as he was looking at her. Maybe she felt the same way as he did? _Impending doom of what may come if they didnt speak to one another! _Charlie _was_ looking at the mistletoe evilly after all.

"H-Hi" Oliver stuttered as he took two steps towards the approaching lady. Bending down he took one of the baskets and read the tag on it. _Madam Weaver, Head of Health._

"She's two floors up" Oliver informed Hermione. At the corner of his eye he watched her fidget silently, looking too awkward. Maybe it was his fault. He was the guy! He shouldve pursued her. He shouldve tried harder maybe.

"Hermione I-" He started but she cut him off, "Its nothing, don't worry about it. You should've just owled me" she said awkwardly. His heart sank, maybe she didn't like him back. Maybe she was happy he didn't call her or see her after.

"It was just a bit awkward. You look like you regret-" Oliver thought out loud stopping when he realized he was telling her his thoughts.

"I don't regret, I just thought you are regretting ever asking me or that weekend…" Hermione said tongue tied. She looked up at Oliver who was shaking his head. She meekly smiled up at him wishing that she didn't look as awkward as she imagined herself to be looking at that moment. He in turn smiled back and the silence between them was comforting. It was understood, neither regretted anything but the fact that neither tried to see the other after.

"Let me make it up to you" Oliver said, "Crap wait I cant this afternoon…."

Hermione laughed as she watched Oliver go through his planner mumbling as he went through his schedule. She peered over and saw that he was helping Rachel out that afternoon and that the rest of his week was packed.

"How about this, I'll meet you at the pitch around 7, that's when you end right?" Hermione asked Oliver. He looked up at her and pushed himself back onto his chair as he were only a few inches away from her nose.

"Y-yes" Oliver said. He tried to look away from her. Hermione smirked at him fully knowing he was having the hardest time not looking at her chest. Maybe Charlie had motive to force on that low v-cut sweater on her after all.

"Then we'll grab a quick dinner" Hermione finished after she watched Oliver stand up quickly adjusting his tie loose. Putting down the basket she was holding, she walked nearer to him and swatted his hand off of his tie.

"Don't, you'll look sloppy" she whispered to him as she fixed his ministry tie and dusted the shoulders of his robe. Looking up she smiled at him and appreciated that he had an expression of being enticed by her. His brown eyes set on what seemed to be her chest. She half wanted to yank his tie to get him to look at her face instead but her thoughts were broken when he suddenly croaked.

"7, pitch, got it Granger" Oliver mechanically said, noticing that Whitmore's door cracked open while a disgusted looking Charlie stepped out.

"Oh well look at that" Charlie happily chimed as she picked up the blue cellophane basket on the desk. "Tah-tah Wood, off to level 5 now Hermione dearest"

Hermione shook her head at her cousin before placing a kiss on Oliver's cheek. "Don't hide this time" she jokingly said as she walked away from Oliver.

"No, not this time" Oliver said as he watched the two women walk away.

-------------------------------

"Jeeze! You aren't letting us get any goals in!" Rachel screamed at Oliver. Another two girls and two guys circled around him all with the goal to get the quaffle in past Oliver.

"You said practice, I'll give you ladies and gents a practice!" Oliver roared as he passed the quaffle to a brunette 15 year old boy. "C'mon Convery, make a goal!"

The boy circled but instead of taking the shot he passed it onto a blonde girl named Aurora. The game suddenly got interesting. Instead of taking shots at a time, the whole team started working together to get the ball in. Oliver shouted at Rachel who let loose one bludger and passed a bat to the Convery boy and one to another boy who was called Waters.

Rachel zoomed around with the rest group and in the end after a 10 minutes in air spar with Oliver they managed to get not only the quaffle into the center hoop but as well as the bludger along with some strands of Oliver's hair.

"That was dangerous Waters!" Oliver shouted at the boy but then added "but good job on the goal girls" the teenagers looked pleased as they finally got a goal in after two weeks of practice. They finally got one in over the Wood of Puddlemere!

"Did you invite Hermione over?" Rachel asked when she levelled to her brother. Oliver took the retrieved quaffle from his sister and looked at the stands where Hermione sat. Reaching for his sister's watch it ticked 7:30 pm and Oliver made a face.

"It's 15 minutes early…" Rachel informed him as she took the ball away and threw it down to Waters who was packing up the equipment. "Can somebody get that bludger!" Rachel shouted and Convery zoomed after it throwing out a freezing spell on it.

"Ollie has a date!" Rachel chirped as she waved at Hermione, "you're late aren't you?"

Oliver nodded and descended to where Hermione was sitting. He opened his mouth to tell her he was sorry for the tardiness but she waved him off. "Always to make me wait, huh Wood?"

He smiled and placed a kiss on her forehead before running down the stands to where his bag was. "Rachel take this" Oliver said as he handed his sister his broom.

"Don't loose those gloves of yours" Rachel told him as she wished him luck with his date. Oliver nodded and proceeded taking his new gloves off placing it on a seat by his bag. "Go! Don't make the woman wait" Rachel told him as he thanked her for taking his broom.

He picked up his bag and ran down the stands to meet Hermione.

AN:

Thanks for reading! Next update round febuary.


	14. Chapter 14

AN:

Thanks for reading and reviewing!

_I relive through this story and many others recently written. _

_Immortalized for my own fleeting cowardly memory, _

_For the mind that wants to erase you._

_For the mind that tells this heart to hate and to forget.-c.y.c_

**Chapter 14:**

Hermione looked at Oliver angrily. The dinner went well enough but now Mr. Oliver goddamned Wood had to ruin it. Instead of giving his attention to her he was more worried about his keeper's gloves. She tapped her fingers as she watched him go through his bag for the third time. Looking around the restaurant she saw her T.A bubbly talking to a brunette who looked equally happy.

_Lucky,_ Hermione thought as she watched Chris hold the woman's hand. If only Oliver wasn't so engrossed about gloves that could be replaced through owl delivery. It was alarming to Hermione to find herself wishing Oliver was Chris in that instant. Here she was, after weeks of anxiety and possibly bitterness because of Oliver, suddenly not wanting Oliver!

Looking across her she tilted her head as Oliver looked worried at his hands. "You can buy new ones right?" Hermione asked as she offered him a piece of her spider roll.

"Well yes but I finally got those broken in you know" Oliver said before picking up a piece. Hermione shook her head to her it was just_ gloves_…

"Let me put it this way Granger, if you loose a book you really enjoy-" Oliver started. Inwardly he kicked himself. He should be paying attention to her more. But maybe the little boy in was trying to break out, he wanted his gloves!

"Then I'd search all over for it, Fair enough" Hermione agreed. Maybe she was just being really picky about Oliver. He looked worried, really worried. Touching his hand with hers she got his attention. He was looking into space for a bit and she thought maybe she should help me find the gloves. "How about this, I'll help you look after dinner"

"That would be appreciated lass, what's a keeper with out his best gloves?" Oliver joked and smiled at Hermione. He'll make up for this, he really would try to!

After dinner they retraced where they've gone, clearly the gloves weren't lost en route. Oliver groaned as they stopped at the spot their apparated on. Hermione closed her coat and hugged herself trying to not think of the cold when Oliver saw her shivering.

Pulling her into a hug Oliver rubbed Hermione back and placed a kiss on her forehead before thanking her for the effort. Hermione smiled appreciatively when Oliver asked her if she wanted to have a "take 3" on the whole dinner thing. Maybe third time's charm!

"Well, you'll just have to owl one for the game, I mean even if the owl is late it can drop orders off at the pitch right?" Hermione asked thoughtfully when Oliver suddenly stopped rubbing her back.

"The pitch" Oliver said with wide eyes. Hermione looked at him in bewilderment before pulling her into a hug, disapparating her away with him.

Just as Oliver suspected the glove was exactly where his bag was. He goofily smiled as he picked up the pair of dragon hide gloves. Hermione stood by him and contentedly watched him as he happily smile like a 12 year old at the seemingly unimportant pair of gloves. Looking out she looked at Stoney Lake. The moonlight was out and she could see the university from the elevated spot she was standing on. The ground looked sparse and small but it looked inviting even when there was snow covering everything.

"You alright there Hermione?" Oliver asked as he looked out at what Hermione was looking at. She looked disappointed for some reason he touched her hand and watched her lightly flinch at his touch. She looked into his eyes and found him worried.

"I wouldn't mind sitting here for a bit, if you don't mind?" Hermione said, Oliver smiled at her warmly and kissed her hand before saying, "I have a better idea". Hermione found herself laughing while running through the stands towards what seems to be the commentator's box.

-------------------------------

Whitmore sat in his living room appalled at the letter in his hands. He might just loose that cherry wood table he had been fantasizing about. Madam Wellington liked to taunt him.

Come to think of it, he often wondered if that Wellington never showed up, would he be married to Athena? She was his age, late forties. They even went to school together but she married Wellington. He often fantasized that Charlotte was his daughter, though he seriously thought that the girl didn't like him much.

But of course Charlotte was a Wellington, Athena was a Wellington. He has had his share of women, but Athena was the one that slipped through his fingers. She was deathly loyal to Wellington too, and Whitmore did not imagine ever breaking those two apart.

"Cheers to my loneliness" Whitmore said as he raised a glass of brandy towards his mother's portrait that scowled and told him to find a wife before he ends the Whitmore family.

"Do shut up mother, father had enough illegitimate children to procreate this world-" Whitmore said but stopped as he heard a knock on his door. He walked over to the door and opened it to find a tall thin man. "Yes?"

The man took off his muggle hat off and smiled broadly at him. "Pat you little brat!" Whitmore exclaimed as he hugged the younger man.

"I'm bit late uncle" Pat said as he was ushered to the living room. "How is my dear sister?" Whitmore asked happily as Pat tried to make conversation with the portrait.

"Mother is fine, she sends you her regards however" Pat said. Whitmore's face lit as he conversed with his nephew. He almost reminded him of Oliver, that's probably why he was so fond of his assistant.

"I'm actually looking for someone" Pat said as he gulped down the aged brandy his uncle offered him.

"Anything for my godson!" Whitmore said, "I'll try to help you…"

"I'm looking for a keeper called Oliver Wood" Pat said.

---------------------------------------

Taking Hermione's hand Oliver held it high over his sight. Her hand, soft and trembling from the cold, was illuminated softly by the snow near by. She thought that it was somewhat romantic of Oliver, or at lesat he's trying to get into her better sides after the almost annoying date.

"What are you doing?" Hermione whispered as she shifted to her side, cuddling closer to Oliver for warmth. He obliged and hugged her nearer placing a kiss on her forehead as she snuggled at the nook of his neck. They were lying down on the commentator's box roof as they gazed towards the somewhat clear winter sky.

"Something" Oliver muttered through his kiss. Hermione pulled her hand down but then Oliver took it into his and placed a kiss on her hand. He didn't stop there as he trailed off kissing into her palm and eventually to her wrist. With his eyes closed he placed the last of his kisses on her wrist and intuitively placed a kiss on her lips, which were not too far off from where he held her hand.

"Hmm" Hermione whispered when Oliver pulled away from the kiss. She smiled warmly at him as she wondered, where did that come from and why was it adding more butterflies in her stomach. She waited from him to open his eyes, waiting for his brown eyes to smile at her, want her with desire and when he did open his eyes she felt her heart melt. Why was he looking at her with such longing, such interest, and such passion?

Moving her hand she placed it on Oliver cheek trying to feel that he was real, that he wasn't a dream. The stubble on his jaw awakened her sense of touch. He was there, he was right beside her, hugging her warm and looking at her with yearning.

"Hermione" Oliver whispered as he drew her face in a bit more and placing a kiss on the tip of her nose as she instinctively closed her eyes on the contact. Trailing with kisses he kissed her cheek then her ear, biting the lobe softly before whispering to her, "Stay with me"

Hermione's eyes flickered open and the light bouncing off of the snowy pitch filled her sight with Oliver's hopeful face not to far from hers. She looked at him questioningly and she saw signs of panic creeping into his face. Panic that maybe she would turn him down, that she would stomp away and disapparate at that moment.

"Not here" she finally replied as Oliver smiled softly at her.

"Where to?" he asked as he dug his left hand into her hair trying to push away the strands that strayed to her face. Trying to move away the soft brown curtain from her pretty eyes, her appreciative smile, her kissed-swollen lips and rosy cheeks he imagined was due to the scruff on his jaw.

"Surprise me" Hermione whispered back as she placed her hand over his own, squeezing it as to tell him she trusted him, that she was on the same page, she wanted to stay with him as much has she wished he did that night or maybe longer.

The question in her head was would he let her? The same question ran in his mind. He couldn't see his future with her, he couldnt even fathom her form in bed all of the sudden. He was scared of wishing for something that may never come.

She wished for her fears to go away, that he would stay with her and show her that there was still hope out there. But as she looked into Oliver's eyes she felt her fears slowly fading, but everything in her body said it was all too good to be true. He was everything she wanted but would he want her as much as every muscle in her body wanted him. Pushing him on his back she leaned on him to studied him before kissing his lips trailling down to his neck, tucking her hand into the unziped portion of his coat and through his dresshirt. The warmth of his chest was alarmingly inviting that she started to timidly peel off his coat.

"_Anything the lady wants_" Oliver whispered into her ear as he hugged her closer and kissed her softly as they disapparated away to somewhere warmer and softer.

"_Not sure where to go, everybody I know says I'm too forgiving,_

_...I dont want to move on I just keep reliving"_

_-M.Moore_

AN:

That's it. I tried! I hoped you liked it.


	15. Chapter 15

AN:

Okay so its short...sorry

This is my gift to myself on my bday..Yay me choked out a 800 word chapter when Im suppose to be writting an essay!...I hate summer semesters...

3 hope this chapter is okay!

* * *

Chapter 15:

"I cant believe it" Charlie said on the phone as she juggled a pan of frying eggs

"I cant believe it" Charlie said on the phone as she juggled a pan of frying eggs., "So you stayed over at his place?"

"Well no!" Hermione exasperated on the other end as Hermione tried to spread cream cheese on her toast.

"Did you guys do it?" Charlie sneakily asked after putting down two plates on the counter of her kitchen.

"Why are you asking me this?" Hermione embarrassingly asked her cousin. She heard Charlie make none committed sounds at the other end.

"Well, you told me how it went and then stopped with" Charlie said and adjusted her voice to the most lowest it could go, "_anything the lady_ _wants_", which sounded bit like a lewd dirty old man with a very high voice.

Hermione laughed at the other side as she nostalgically remember how sweet Oliver was that night. He set the mood; he made up for ruining the dinner. He was just perfect on that top box roof. She remembered his soft careful kisses and his passionate ones after.

"I'll leave you to imagine what happened next" Hermione laughed as she hung up on the protesting Charlie.

Charlie clicked her phone close as she growled at it. Hermione always knew how to give a good cliff hanger to a story and Charlie really wanted to know whether or not Hermione finally broke the virginal streak.

"Morning, what's wrong" Liam said as he gave his girlfriend a kiss. Charlie pouted and said "She won't tell me!"

Liam snorted as he sat down and started picking on the too runny Sunnyside-up eggs, he never did tell Charlie that he liked his eggs overcooked. Watching Charlie intently he said "If she won't tell you, then she won't. You know".

"Well I guess so. It probably wasn't that great anyhow" Charlie finally said as she bit into her toast soaked in runny cooked yolk. Liam laughed thinking of the text msg that woke him up. "Oh trust me apparently it was goo-"

Charlie gave him a look and he shut his mouth, while his eyes were wide open in surprise at his slip. In Liam's head he was in for it as Charlie tapped her finger on the table patiently.

--

Oliver hovered by the bathroom sink smiling like an idiot. He was ecstatic, happy, content, cant wait to see her again!

Goofily he brushed his teeth and remembered the night before. He remembered the emotion on her face, agony and pleasure in one moan. He remembered how she dug her fingernails in his skin every thrust. He remembered that he didn't have to try too hard to be the best Casanova, he was himself and she was herself. It all ended at the same time and with sweaty faces they laid in her bed as his house was not an option. They had landed there first but had heard Rachel walking towards the washroom. In a pop she had brought them back to her place.

"What's up with you?" Rachel asked as she walked into the open washroom. Oliver was just smiling blankly at the mirror. She only got a happy grunt as her brother rinsed his toothbrush and walk away humming. Rachel peeked her head out into the hall and watched her brother nearly skip down the hall. For a moment she figured out why Oliver was happy but shook her head forcefully thinking "Ew ew ew...".

After a few seconds and regaining a bit of mind back Rachel shouted after Oliver, "We've got practice today! Stop daydreaming!"

--

Whitmore sat by the dinning table sipping his expresso slowly as he watched Patrick nephew pick on his breakfast.

"What's wrong?" Whitmore asked as he put down his small cup of energy.

"My fiancée is insisting she comes here to help reel in Wood" Patrick sighed, Whitmore got a feeling this was not in his nephew's plan.

"And why is that a problem?" Whitmore asked further, "You don't want me to meet your fiancée?"

"Its more like there is little chance of reeling in Wood in the first place" Patrick answered. "She's a lovely girl though"

"Ah yes, Ms. Catalina Montilla, I remember you having the biggest crush on her a few years back. Barely could speak to her" Whitmore teased his nephew who went beet red at the thought of his shy past.

"Yes well, I don't want to upset her if we can't get Wood back into the team" Patrick sighed as he dropped his fork on his plate.

"You are part Whitmore, don't ever give up! Plus Wood might be up for it" Whitmore chuckled though silently thinking that if Wood left the ministry he'd be deeply saddened to loose his pseudo nephew/son.

AN:

Thanks for reading. Maybe update soon, dont know when yet.


	16. Chapter 16

AN:

Sorry for the update delay...past few months been crazy with school!

Thank you for reading and reviewing guys!

Chapter 15:

"What's the meaning of this?" Rachel asked as she watched one of her beaters head up to the goals while her brother floated beside her.

"He offered-" Oliver replied while bouncing the quaffle on his knee. Rachel looked awed at him while she looked back at the brunette boy hovering anxiously by the goals. Oliver then continued, "-said he's a better goalie than he is a beater. The lad's been too shy to tell you he can be a keeper. Has a little crush on you says yer chasers"

Rachel burned up pink as she looked at her brother angrily. Oliver smirked at her as she frowned at him even more. "Whatever, who is player beater for him? You?"

"Nope", Oliver said pointing at a girl talking animatedly at the other beater, Waters. "_She's_ playing beater for Chris"

"Is she good enough?" Rachel asked as she eyed Convery then Waters and the girl named May.

"Waters says she's a great beater, try her out" Oliver suggested handing Rachel the bludger case. Rachel looked shiftily as she shouted for both Waters and the blonde girl beside him to get on their brooms for a lap or two.

Few minutes later Rachel looked back at her brother and nodded appreciatively. Oliver, sitting at the stands, nodded right back as he smiled. After the game Oliver stuck around and waited for his sister in front of the doors to the change room. He then however spotted the new Keeper leaving the boys side.

"You know mate, if you really like her you might as well tell her" Oliver suggested to the boy. The brunette teenager stopped walking and looked at Oliver flustered, "She won't go to you, just so you know Chris"

"Too late, she already has" Chris said as he tugged on the strings of his hoodie. "That and she already has Sheppard"

"What do you mean?" Oliver asked but before the Keeper could explain; Rachel burst out of the change rooms laughing with the new beater. Chris flustered and nodded before walking away in a hurry. Oliver looked at his sister wondering what had conspired already, but decided to drop it for the time being.

Across town….

Hermione sobbed a little as she rolled a fancy piece of parchment. She felt her heart break all over again. Ron was really the most annoying man alive. He had the nerve to send her an invitation!

Eyeing the parchment Hermione imagine what if it was she who was sending the invitation with Ron, the theme wouldn't be tacky red and black. It would have been suited more for the wedding date, spring colors. The invitation wouldn't have ribbons all over but just a bow on top to indicate the color theme, as to discourage guests to wear that color.

"Home-wrecker!" Hermione muffled as she imagined the twit that took Ron away from her. But then her thoughts of slowly strangling the tall blonde Hufflepuff witch was interrupted by her phone ringing. Looking left and right she watched if any of the librarians were on the floor she was in.

"Hello?" Hermione quietly said.

"Do you fancy eating at Karmas' before heading home?" said the person. Hermione had a little laugh and smiled as the bad thoughts of her past lover were blown away by her new one.

"I believe they will already be closed by the time I get to town…Oliver dearest", she replied as she slowly packed up her stuff into her colourful tote bag.

"What if I ordered a lot of take away and Rachel and I can't possibly finish it" Oliver said cheekily. Hermione smiled and considered to just stay at the library. "Don't even think about it, we can hold back for a bit if you want"

"My car is stuck under a pile of snow Oliver-" Hermione tried to say but Oliver cut her off, "Then apparate. After dinner, I will go back there with you and help you dig your car out"

"How do I know this isn't a trick Wood?" Hermione said. Oliver then gave the phone to Rachel who said "Oh he'll do it, I'll make him"

With that said Hermione headed out into the isolated back parking lot of Sir Eaton College and disapparated in a pop, landing herself quite comfortably in Oliver's living room. There she found Rachel trading a spring roll to Oliver for a bowl of mango salad.

A few hours later, 11 o'clock clicked and Hermione and Oliver left the house to dig out her car. They noted that three first years were trekking into the woods at the back, probably there to smoke up.

"Why don't you just flick your wand" Oliver asked as he looked for a shovel in Hermione's car finally digging out a bright blue shovel. He then started to dig into the 3 feet high snow bank encasing the car.

"Because" Hermione cheerily said checking Oliver out as he dug and dug for her. "If I did I wouldn't be able to watch you be a guy and show off" she said but slapped her mouth closed.

Oliver stopped mid way into shoving the shovel again and looked at Hermione who was flushed. "Did you say that out too loud Granger?" Oliver asked happily as Hermione nodded furiously.

"Nothing to be ashamed, I do have a lovely arse" Oliver replied.

"Egotistical Pr-" Hermione tried to say but Oliver had already tackled her into the nearby snow bank, kissing her as he did so.

"How's about that Granger?" he asked after.

"How's about some snow" Hermione said while she rubbed in a handful of snow into Oliver's hair. They stopped laughing when they heard another car drive into the parking lot and doors closed. They shushed as a couple walked by them arguing.

"If we end up like those two…" Oliver started but Hermione pulled him in for a kiss and he obliged.

The next morning, Whitmore sat in his office watching his sit silently across him. Leaning in he asked Pat why he was really nervous seeing Wood again.

"I don't know," his nephew said, "I think it is more so Cat than anyone else. If I don't get Wood back it'll be another round of keeper try outs. We just want him to try out again that's all"

Pat eyed the folded letter on Wood's desk and watched as Oliver walked into the office cheerily saying hi to most of ministry. He shiftily thought, Cat's plans better work or else he'd have a very angry Wood in front of him.

"What did you do exactly?" Whitmore asked Pat who gulped and explained slowly and didn't notice that Oliver's face of surprise.

--

Humming, Oliver entered the office. Clutching the paper work he had to finish the night before, he cheerily said good morning to the other office clerks on his floor. He placed all of the rolls into a bin beside his desk and sat himself down when he saw a letter sitting on his desk. The green seal looked familiar and as he looked closer his curiosity grew.

Was it another one of Whitmore's notes that usually got him into trouble with rescheduling, "_I will be away for the afternoon having tea with etc etc_" Oliver imagined and sighed. Whitmore always went and screwed up any schedule.

He opened the letter and scanned it and in awe he didn't know how to react to the letter. Be upset that he was denied a chance to participate at the up coming quidditch tourney or be happy that Puddlemere finally broke their silence.

"…we would like to invite you to meet with our head coach. He will be a guest at the tourney…." Oliver read out quietly, trying to digest what was written,"-Pat Matthews?"

Sitting down he looked at the letter again, it was real! But Pat Matthews the new head coach? He stifled a laugh and thought that it was due time that his old buddy would be promoted, after all he had been gone long enough to not know what was happening.

"Alright there Wood?" Whitmore asked as he placed a bucket full of parchment in replacement for the other bucket that was on the floor.

"Mr. Whitmore, Good morning" Oliver said as he nodded at Whitmore's question. Whitmore smiled and added that he was having lunch with his nephew that afternoon and had asked if Oliver wanted to join them.

"I couldn't impose sir" Oliver started to decline but then Whitmore added, "Not imposing at all Wood. I believe you know my nephew"

"Well if he had forgotten me already I wouldn't be surprised, too many bludgers hit his head before he left" Pat said as he stepped out of the office. Oliver looked at the tall man and smiled before standing up.

"I take it as a yes!" Whitmore said as he watched the two younger men shook hands and patted each other's back. _A very quidditch player thing to do_, he noted to himself.

AN:

Thnks for reading! Don't hesitate to leave your mark )


	17. Chapter 17

A.N: 

_hi guys. I apologize for not updating for nearly a year. Though I struggled so much juggling an internship and school I finally graduated with a Bachelors of Arts in Bullshit I mean, Anthropology. What to do now? Find a job? No one wants to hire a theoretical based B.A. Find a love? I'm still tuckered out from my last disappointment. So you have me for a year as I figure out what to do while I wait to get into a new program next fall! This story with finish by the end of this year that I promise._

_I hope you guys enjoy the rest of this story and if any of the characters suddenly change in personality, style or even the possible heightened sarcasm and cynicism, it is probably because my situation and muses have changed, thus the main characters change with their muses._

_-monsterme_

Chapter 17:

Whitmore watched on as the younger men swapped stories of times past. From hilarious bar incidents to running away from obsessive fans and eventually the various things media proclaimed bachelor did for fun. As Whitmore anticipated, the nervousness of Patrick slowly melted away as Oliver's did. Sometimes Whitmore thought he was just keeping Oliver around because he reminded him strongly of a more out spoken Patrick. Oliver Wood was a talented and dedicated ministry worker. He was hard working and honest, and he had survived nearly three years working for Whitmore who had a streak of purging out weak heart-ed assistants before Wood.

"Do you remember the time we locked Creegan in the locker room with a stripper?" Pat animatedly said smiling at the memory of a the old beater's horrific face when he realized the stripper was half giant.

"Oh yea and he screamed like a girl vowing to never cheat on his wife to be" Oliver added ensuing laughter between the two younger men. " I was a bit surprised to see you around though Pat, I thought I was just going to get bombarded with owls from Cat"

"Yes well Cat is on her way to Toronto, she arrives tomorrow" Pat said as he followed his uncle into what seems to be a pricey restaurant.

"Do I get to meet her?" Whitmore asked watching his nephew fluster at the thought of his fiancee. Oliver laughed at Pat and commented that she still had that effect on Pat even after three years of committed relationship.

"O-of course Uncle, she's excite to meet my single Uncle Connor" Pat said. "To be single is my choice Patrick, I still have my women don't I Wood?" Whitmore chuckled.

Oliver nodded trying to bite his tongue at the numerous muggles his boss dates. He once asked why all the younger women liked his boss and Madam Wellington had said that Whitmore looked shockingly like the muggle actor, Richard Gere, in his finest years.

As they three men got seated a a table of older men nodded at Whitmore. "I think I am going to leave you two alone to chatter" he said as he headed to the other table, men he obviously knew. After the server had gotten their orders and made a pass at Oliver, the two settled into discussing why Pat was really in town.

"Not that I mind your visit, but what is up?" Oliver asked.

"You probably got the letter about you not being able to place at the tournament" Pat explained. Oliver listened to Pat say that it was a motion set off by the coach of Puddlemere, Pat himself, with the support of the organizer, Harry Potter. Pat then offered Oliver to return to Puddlemere for next season.

"We realize that you might not be willing or even want to go pro again, but we would like for you to try out at least. We want to have a strong team and we are hoping that you're skills have not diminished since you last played" Pat said.

Oliver looked at Pat with disbelief. What he being offered a spot with his old team once again? After he had suddenly disappeared during the war. "What of my sudden disappearance-"

"It was the war, when you suddenly left we all told ourselves because you're parents died and you wanted to move your sister away. We understood. Not long after there was a cease in operation across the board after the deatheaters took control of the Ministry. We didn't get it running again till a year after. This will be the first international tournament in nearly four years. We want to make this new beginning begin with a bang" Pat exclaimed rather enthusiastically.

"What of my education I have two more years to go, I suppose I can somehow make this work" Oliver thought out loud.

"Now there's the silver lining we're looking for. Wood if you agree with this, we will make sure you can do both at the same time. That is if you beat all the younger keepers trying out!" Pat laughed out.

"We'll see, oh would you be interested in scouting second stringers?" Oliver asked thinking about the Quidditch show down happening in a few days.

"Who do yo have in mind?" Pat asked, rather interested in fresh blood they can pump into the veins of Puddlemere United.

"Earth to Hermione, Earth to Hermione" repeated Charlie over and over until Hermione snapped out of her Wood induced trance.

"Is she okay?" Asked a classmate named Christa as Hermione smiled idiotically at the mandible she was supposed to be cataloging

Charlie waved her hand in front of Hermione's glazed eyes and laughed, "No she's definitely thinking of Wood"

"Is that some sort of sexual innuendo? Cuz I don't want to hear that since I'm considerably lacking" said their classmate. Charlie and her exchanged looks and chuckled as Hermione kept on dreaming on.

Hermione stirred her coffee idly as she remembered the night before. Oliver was always so giving that she never asked for anything but he still did it with fervor She closed her eyes and remembered how soft his hair was when she combed her fingers through it, or how meaningful and perfect his kisses and pecks were in all the right places. How sturdy Wood was and how Wood would just take what he wanted and lasted for a long long long time. Hormones, sweat, breathing, bodies colliding and the friction, Hermione remembered it all to a tee. How scrumptious was her...wait what is Wood anyhow?

Breathing in she got a whiff of her espresso which snapped Hermione out of her rather steamy daydream. What was Wood to her?

"You alright there?" Charlie asked as Hermione focused her eyes on Charlie with such intensity as that "stalking cat" on youtube.

"Yea. I was just wondering something" Hermione said as she tried to remember what she was doing before she got into her daydream.

"Whaddaaaya wondering about?" Charlie pressed further, but Hermione shook her head. "Let me guess, its been two weeks since you first tumbled with Wood, and you two go on dates but what are you really?"

"Charlie, that's illegal" Hermione commented as she closed her mind to her Charlie's prying.

"Is it illegal to know thy family too well?" Charlie teased knowing that other classmates wouldn't understand what Hermione meant.

"Well..." Hermione started but a nearby classmate butted in and asked, "Would you see other people?"

"N-no, I'm not like tha-" Hermione said.

"-Yes but is he seeing other people?" Asked another female classmate who was obviously texting during the lab hour.

"No, I don't know!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Well you two are technically 'a couple'" Charlie concluded, "Wow you really are out of touch with this whole dating thing"

"Obviously! But I don't know if he thinks like that" Hermione exclaimed as she let the mandible fall an inch onto the table producing a rather loud bang as it collided with the table. "How do I know?"

A classmate she knew as Stella walked up to her with a smirk. "Have you been introduced to immediate and close family yet?"

"How the hell do you hear conversations like this, you were in the other room" Charlie exclaimed as Stella puckered up her limps and smiled, "I have sonar hearing" which caused laughed amongst the class.

"So have you?" she pressed further.

"Yes, several times. He only has a sister now, I've have dinner at the house several times. I'm also going clothes shopping with his sister tomorrow-" Hermione started

"There ya go. You are officially the, wait for it-" Stella said, "girlfriend!, Congratulations Hermione you are no longer single unlike Christa and I"

"Hey!" exclaimed the girl name Christa, "I'm seeing the bartender remember"

Charlie looked over and said "but we all know he's a casually dating douche bag who you content yourself with when you can find a better non-sleazy worthy man!"

Hermione looked over the girl across her and nodded, "You can find a far better man than him ya know. You're worth more" the girl sighed and looked at her hands and Hermione knew how it felt to date a douche bag.

"Right, so who is this Wood guy? Is the hotty Wood from Con-ed, ya know the one that hangs out with Liam?" Asked Stella.

"Again how do you hear this?" Hermione even wondered, the door was closed before Stella walked in.

"Bat ears" chimed the girls at the end of the table.


	18. Chapter 18

AN: Thank you for reading the story. I hope you guys like it so far.

Chapter 18:

A week after Oliver had lunch with his old friend, Pat; new coach of Puddlemere United, Oliver found himself standing on the school stands and watched on as two teams battled it out on the air. It was not hard to spot his sister at all as she was wearing her old Gryffindor hat and gloves. For most part her teams all wore their former house colours. Clearly while one team was fighting for Quod Ball to win the other was trying to pursuade the powers that be to allow Quidditch to co exist in one pitch.

"To the right" Rachel screamed as she watched her chaser motion to pass the quaffle right into Sheppard's grubby hands. The chaser looked back at Rachel and sent the quaffle back as soon he heard.

Michael Sheppard was not one to loose. In fact he always got what he wanted. As a child he was the oldest sibling and ordered his two younger sisters around. He got the big room, he got the fiebolt, he got two owls and he told himself he'll get a yes from Rachel Wood before the year ends...even if it meant that he beat her in quidditch!

"Get that snitch!" Oliver screamed as he watched the two seekers fly past him. He looked over to his side and saw Hermione cheering on his little sister. Both of them were clad in gryffindor scarves, how lovely he thought. It was not just earlier that morning that he woke up with Hermione walking into his room only wearing his quidditch jumper on while holding a cup of coffee. He peeked at her form before closing his eyes again but that attempt was futile. As Soon as she pressed her tiny frame on top of him, the jumper had been tossed on the floor forgotten along with sleep and the coffee that went cold on his side table. Oliver smiled cheekily as he remembered his early morning tryst.

In the air Rachel zoomed past Sheppard a few times trying to pry the quaffle out of his grasp. Sheppard had successfully pulled her hair-tie off of her hair before shouting, "oohh-chahuahua, sexy hair Wood".With that Rachel pulled around quickly and flew straight into Sheppard finally acquiring the snitch along with sending an unsuccessful kick at the boy. But Sheppard wasn't dumb, he wanted her to threw a punch in or a kick and when Rachel did he grabbed onto her leg while in mid air.

"Let me go Sheppard!" Rachel screamed as the game came to a standstill. "FOWL" was hollered at the near by stands but Sheppard still didn't let go.

"Not until you admit you like me!" Sheppard pressed holding onto her leg bit more.

"You neanderthal!" Rachel screamed as she twisted around, grabbing the tail of his broom spinning both of them down.

"Stop spinning!" Sheppard wailed as he saw the ground twisting right infront of his eyes.

"Grab my leg, suffer the consequences" Rachel laughed as she spun them faster.

Everyone had stopped playing to watch the pair struggle mid air. Some were calling for a professor or the Quod coach.

"Oliver, stop them!" Hermione nervously said as she watched the pair fall faster into the ground. All Oliver could do was laugh, Rachel was a true Wood.

"Are you not going to...For Merlin's Sake!" Hermione screamed as she took her wand out and was about to cast a spell when Oliver pushed her arm down.

"Not yet. Let's see how much he really likes her" Oliver stated rather amused at the situation. Not many people know that quidditch ran thick in the Wood blood. Their mother had been once a chaser for the Holyhead harpies, their father had started out as a quidditch player at Hogwarts and eventually played professional. Later in his life, Mr. Wood was the PR guru of the Canons. Their great grand father had played professional and his father before him and his great grandfather was a co-author of the Quidditch Association's Rules and Regulations. This trick was not that bad, Oliver knew it in fact he taught it his little sister when she was 4. Oliver could see the evil glint in his sisters eyes as that cocky Sheppard wailed and screamed, he was even willing to bet that Sheppard was wishing he never met Rachel Wood.

With a loud gasp everyone watched as Rachel maneuvered her broom to a stop along with Sheppard's face an inch from the ground. Everyone at that point did not notice the two seekers suddenly zoom right, chasing after that covetted golden snitch.

"Scared Sheppard?" Rachel finally whispered softly into Sheppeard's reddened ear.

"Y-y-you..." Sheppard mumbled, Rachel leant in a little closer not noticing the two seekers on their heels, battlin it out and finally her seeker caught the snitch like a seasoned professional.

"I what?" Rachel asked as she dropped Sheppard on the snow covered ground.

"W-w-win" Sheppard cried out.

"Of course I did Sheppard, we caught the snitch" Rachel said triumphantly. Looking up she saw her seeker being carried off of his broom by their teamates. She then suddenly felt a pull and she fell right on top of Sheppard.

"Let me go Sheppard" Rachel demanded once again.

"I know what you're trying to do. Spinning won't stop me from asking you to the semi-formal" Sheppard sheepishly said as she held onto her tighter.

"Let me go or I'll get my brother to kick your ass!" Rachel screamed.

"Say yes first!" Sheppard laughed.

"Fine! Now let me go!" Rachel screamed and peeled herself off of the boy. "I hate you"

"No you don't! You find me appealing!" Sheppard said at her retreating back. He watched as she headed for what he assumed was her brother.

"Must you really torture the lad?" Oliver asked Rachel as she dumped her gear on the stands behind him and Hermione. Rachel just smirked and said that it was her right as a Wood to make her authority known with possible suitors. "You told me that when I was eleven" Rachel finished as she plopped on the stands.

"Well you two are definitely a pair, what will I ever do with you?" Hermione stated as she watched Oliver pack his sisters clothes into her knapsack. Rachel just laughed and told Hermione to admit that she finds them an appealling family. Compared to the Granger's, the Wood's were far more exciting.

"Reckless and sometimes egotistic namely your brother. There is an upside I suppose." Hermione mused, "You two have quidditch in your blood. Didn't you know? I'm Hermione Granger, an aspiring quidditch wife!"

Rachel stood up looking at Hermione and soon realized that Hermione was just kidding, laughing out loud as Hermione smirked at Oliver. Her brother however was stammering something about Krum and Potter and Weasley. "She's kidding Ollie!" Rachel laughed when he brother turned red.

"Oliver, I was kidding!" Hermione defended but Oliver took it as an invitation to haul her on Rachel's broom with him and into the middle of the pitch. Hermione screamed as they soared into the air. Dropping, elevating and dropping steeply again she look behind her to see Oliver's face full of mirth. He eventually descended to the grounds and let Hermione off the broom. He watched her wobble on her feet when she touched the ground and commented how familiar the wobbling was to the wobble he noticed after the first time he took her to bed. Hermione looked at him incredolously and asked, "Must you grab?"

"Yes, I think I can grab my girlfriend if I want to right?" Oliver said as he pulled her closer.

"Well Wood, am i?" Hermione teased, which earned her a soft kiss.

"The girl who stole my heart, is my girlfriend. Since you already stole my heart at 'I remember you from school', its safe to say that you are my girlfriend" He stated softly and watched as Hermione smiled and snake her arms around his neck.

Setting her on the ground Oliver sat on his broom as Hermione stood beside him planting another kiss on his lips and saying "Then thats it, you're in for it now".

All that Oliver could think of was how lucky he was to have a girl like Hermione as his. All thet she could htink about was how unusual that a girl like herself had a guy like Olier Wood. She reasoned to herself that he was not the same Wood that she had known from school, nor did he exhibit that signs that he was the jock that girls lustily saying "hi Wood" to him in the hallways of Hogwarts. Oliver Wood had grown up.

"Ahem" said someone from behind. Hermione and Oliver whipped around to see Rachel running towards a tall man Oliver's age. Oliver smiled at the man and then looked at Hermione was still wondering who the man Rachel had given a rather hearty hug. He was tall and had an air that reminded Hermione of the loathed ministry head Whitmore.

"Who's he?" Hermione finally asked as Oliver lead her to where Rachel was verbally teasing poor Patrick about his engagement. Oliver had taken Rachel to most of his practices with Puddlemere during her summer breaks. It was natural that his sister become friends with his teammates.

Hermione stood there watching the three greet each other and finally spoke once Oliver had introduced her to his friend.

"Known this scoundrel since our rookie years with Puddlemere. Its good to know he's found a good looking woman after all of his indisgretions" Pat teased Oliver as he shook Hermione's hand. "Nice to finally meet _The Hermione Granger_, you really struck the moon this time mate"

Oliver lightly punched Pat's arm telling him that comments like that is not needed. Pat smiled at Oliver and wiggled his brows before retreating to a safer distance. Rachel then asked "Are you here to take Oliver back Pat?"

"No, he won't let us. He's playing hard to get to be quite honest" Pat started, "But I was here since the start of this quidditch match to realize we got some talent in the pitch"

"Don't promise her anything Pat, not unless you can cough it out" Oliver warned as he watched Rachel's excitement mount its peak. Pat of course said that he was just here to do a preliminary scout for Puddlemere and nothing was promised, "Rachel understands that, plus I think she'd be better off as a Harpie! Look what you did to that poor boy!"

Rachel turned around to see Sheppard hurling his breakfast, in the bushes nearby and smirked with satisfaction. Damn right. Oliver made a comment that Rachel might actually like Sheppard, and earned himself a skin burning glare from his little sister.

"what did he say again? ooow-chuhwahwa? Save the glares for when you try out for the harpies Rach" Pat laughed out.

"I'd have to go by my middle name Georgina" Rachel said as she made a face of disgust. Hermione laughed saying that it was a lovely regal name, "At least it isn't Hermione, its an awkward mouthful compared to Georgina!"

Later that evening, after Rachel had finally passed out on the sofa and Hermione driving home stating she had a paper to write, Oliver and Pat sat in the sunroom drinking warm butterbeer. Pat had brought up again about the potential return of Oliver Wood. Oliver had admitted that after today's match he was thinking more and more of it being a real possibility.

"I want to finish my degree still" Oliver pressed earning Pat to laugh, "you will, just sure you do good in the try outs".

That night Oliver couldn't sleep. he kept on tossing and turning trying to decide, is this the best move for his life plans. Is going back to playing professional what he really wants? Or is this a figment of his past reminding him of what he once wanted. If he did try out, where would he be moving? Rachel still had a year left and what of Hermione? Where would Hermione be. Staring blankly at the ceiling, Oliver couldnt shake the feeling that he was trully torn between what he thinks he needs and what he percieved that he wanted. He was presented with a fork on the road once again and it was very unclear where he should head.

It wasn't until three in the morning that he finally fell into a turbulent slumber, of quidditch hoops and quaffles. Of a falling Hermione screaming as she fell into the dark depths of this unconcious thoughts and finaly of Rachel's daunting prescence asking him "What now?"

AN:

How was it? too short yes. Will try make it longer next chapter. Thanks R&R if you like to!


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